I've Missed You
by GoddessAphrodite
Summary: It's been 8 years since the trio graduated Hogwarts, and 7 years since Hermione made a mistake, losing her 2 best friends. After a chance meeting Ginny's convinced to get Ron & Hermione together again. But darker forces are lurking in the Magical World.
1. Hermion'e Been Spotted

Top of Form 1  
  
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Disclaimer ~ I don't own these characters, only the plot. ~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione walked down the stairs of the building, her hair flying freely behind her. She took a deep breath of the warm summer air. "Dr. Granger!" A voice called to her. She turned around and saw a nurse running out of the building.  
  
"Yes, Norma?" She asked the young blonde. "  
  
Your patient in room 320 just flat lined." She said catching her |breath.  
  
Hermione sighed and ran into the building. Today was supposed to be her day off, and she got called on duty anyway. The 24-year-old brunette hadn't gotten a vacation, let alone a day off since she first got the job. That was what came with being one of the most talented witches in the wizarding world. "The great doctor Granger." She said to herself as she changed back into her scrubs.  
  
She rushed out of the room and down the hall. She hurried into room 320.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione slowly peeled her clothes off of herself and tossed them into her locker. She quickly changed into her clothes. "Good work today, doctor."  
  
"Thanks." She said politely as she laced up her shoes. She grabbed her wand and apparated back to her flat. She set her wand on her table.  
  
She sighed and looked around the room. She walked into her kitchen and opened the cupboards. "Nothing?" She walked over to her refrigerator and opened it up. "Nothing again?" She asked as her stomach growled.  
  
"Have I been working so much, that I haven't even been eating? I guess it's time to get something to eat." She argued with herself as she grabbed her wand and purse.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny Weasley walked trough Diagon Alley, her sister-in-law at her side. "Ginny. I'm a bit hungry." Angelina said grabbing her stomach.  
  
"I'll bet you are!" She giggled poking her pregnant sister. "I can't believe you're gonna have twins! I bet you and Fred are so excited!"  
  
"I'm hoping it will get Fred to settle down a little more." Angelina smiled.  
  
"I can't imagine it will." Ginny said. Angelina laughed.  
  
"Neither can I!"  
  
"Let's go get something at the Leaky Cauldron."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. She took a seat at a barstool. "Hello, Miss. What can I get you?" asked a very old Tom. "Well I'll be! It's Hermione Granger!"  
  
She smiled sweetly. "Hullo Tom."  
  
"How have you been Miss?" He asked her politely. "I've seen your pictures pasted all over the cover of witch weekly. It's a miracle you saved the Minister's son like that."  
  
Hermione smiled. "It's my job."  
  
"Are you meeting someone here? Harry or Ron perhaps?"  
  
"No." She answered as she looked down at her hands. She wished that Tom hadn't asked her that question. She hadn't been a friend with the two boys since just after their last year at Hogwarts.  
  
"Oh. What can I get you then?" Hermione ordered her food and began to eat it quickly. She was hoping to finish before she ran into anyone she knew from school.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"I don't think I can fit into a booth." Angelina said patting her stomach. Ginny laughed and sat down on a stool.  
  
"We'll have to eat here then."  
  
"Hello Tom." Ginny said.  
  
"Hello, Miss Weasley and Mrs. Weasley." Tom said walking towards the two.  
  
Hermione's eyes widened and she turned her head away. "Actually it's soon to be Mrs. Virginia Potter." She smiled holding up her hand.  
  
Tom smiled. "Aye, then. You and Harry finally getting married?"  
  
She smiled. "After 7 long years!" She said proudly.  
  
"Wow! That's some rock you got there!" Tom said admiring the ring.  
  
"Pff. Better than what Fred gave me!" Angelina added holding up her hand.  
  
"I would've been just as happy if I would've gotten one that small."  
  
"What can I get you two?" Tom asked as Angelina order half the menu, and Ginny ordered a simple sandwich. "Here's your bill. Dr. Granger." Tom said handing Hermione a piece of paper. She groaned inwardly at Tom for blowing her cover.  
  
"Hermione?" Ginny asked swiveling her chair for a look. "Is it you?" Hermione sighed and turned to the redhead. "Yes. It's me." Ginny squealed and stood up, throwing her arms around Hermione. "It's so good to see you! Why didn't you say something earlier?"  
  
She shrugged. "So how are you?" She asked politely.  
  
"I'm good," Ginny nodded, "What have you been up to besides working?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"So are you seeing anyone then?"  
  
Hermione smiled to herself. Always like Ginny to get straight to the point. "No."  
  
"Oh, good! Then maybe you and Ron could-"  
  
"I don't think so Gin."  
  
|"Oh why not? You two were so perfect in school!"  
  
"Things are different now." Hermione said taking a drink from her glass. She set the glass down and opened her purse. She set her money on the counter and stood up. "It was nice seeing you."  
  
She walked to the door. "Wait Hermione!" Hermione turned around and raised her eyebrows in question.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Um. I was wondering, if you'd come to me and Harry's wedding."  
  
"Harry's and my wedding. And I'll think about it." Hermione smiled and walked out of the door. She apparated home.  
  
|~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"Wow!" Angelina said. "She sure has changed."  
  
"She looks wonderful." Tom added. The two girls looked at him and laughed. "What? She's a very attractive young lady!"  
  
"Now," Ginny said rubbing her hands together.  
  
"All we have to do is get her and Ron together again. Are you in?" She asked turning to Angelina.  
  
"I could use a project!" Angelina giggled.  
  
"Good. Now we need a plan."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione climbed into her tub, and let the warmth take over her body. |She breathed in the soft scent. She felt happy. She'd seen and old friend. She was surprised that Ginny wasn't mad at her. She sincerely wanted to go to the wedding. She just didn't feel that she would be wanted. How would everyone react if she showed up? She doubted that it would go well.  
  
"Oh, well." She said sinking further into the soapy bubbles.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny and Angelina apparated back to the burrow after paying for their late dinner. Mrs. Weasley stood in the kitchen magically washing the dishes.  
  
"Oh, hello girls! You missed dinner!"  
  
"Hullo mum." The girls said taking turns kissing the woman's cheek  
  
"We ate at the Leaky Cauldron."  
  
"I would've made you something!" Mrs. Weasley answered.  
  
"I know mum, but Angelina was going to faint if she didn't get something into that enormous stomach of hers!"  
  
"Hey! I'm eating for three now!" Angelina said. Ginny rolled her eyes.  
  
"You just wait until you start having kids!" Mrs. Weasley added.  
  
"I'm not having kids." Angelina and Molly laughed.  
  
"That's what you say now. Just wait a few years from now, you'll be just as big as me."  
  
Ginny huffed and folded her arms across her chest. She brightened up. "Oh, mum! You'll never guess who we saw today!"  
  
"Who?" Molly asked as they sat down at the kitchen table. Ginny giggled at her mom's sudden interest.  
  
"Hermione!" Ginny squealed.  
  
"What about Hermione?" Harry asked bending down and kissing Ginny on the cheek. The rest of the boy's followed into the room quickly.  
  
"We talked to her today." Angelina said.  
  
"Talked to who?" Ron asked grabbing a piece of fruit off the table and taking a bite.  
  
"Angelina and I talked to Hermione today."  
  
Ron dropped the piece of fruit and looked up. "Where?"  
  
"The Leaky Cauldron."  
  
"Hey mum! Where's the cookies you said you were making?" Fred asked.  
  
"She never said that!" Mr. Weasley said to his son.  
  
"Shhh!" Ron hushed his brother. "What was she doing there? Was she with someone? How does she look? Did she ask about me? What did she say?"  
  
Woah! Ron! I can't answer all those questions at once!" Ginny laughed at her brother.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Um. What was she doing there? She was eating. She wasn't with anyone. She looks great! Just ask Tom." Ginny and Angelina giggled at each other.  
  
"She didn't ask about you, but you did come up. And she said a lot." Ginny answered in a breath.  
  
"So she was talking about me?" Ron asked. Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"No. I was talking about you." Ginny answered.  
  
"Well, what'd she say?" Ron asked.  
  
"Nothing important."  
  
"Oh." Ron said.  
  
"I did invite her to our wedding though!" She said smiling smugly.  
  
"What'd she say?"  
  
"Well, first she corrected my grammar."  
  
"That's 'Mione." Harry added.  
  
"Then she said she'd think about it."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny waited a half an hour after Harry left, to apparate to his flat. When she arrived he was sitting on his couch reading a book. She sat down on the couch by him. "Hey babe." She said wrapping her arms around his shoulders.  
  
"What are you up to?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
"Me? Nothing!" She put on her innocent face.  
  
"You are up to something. That's the 'I'm up to something' face. Are you going to tell me now, or am I going to have to get rough?" He added suggestively.  
  
Ginny smiled evilly. "That sounds good." She said pressing her forehead against his.  
  
"Just tell me." Harry pouted.  
  
"Big baby. Fine, I'll tell you. Angelina and I are planning to set Hermione and Ron up again."  
  
Harry's face changed serious. "Gin, that's not a good idea."  
  
"Oh, why not? You saw how interested he was tonight!"  
  
"Ginny, no."  
  
"Please! You can even help!"  
  
"Oh. No! I'm having no part in this!"  
  
"Fine. More credit for me." She said settling herself against Harry's chest. ~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~ A/N: What did you guys think? I know this plot is a little over done, but I like it! Tell me what you think, and if I should continue! Please Review!!!!!! 


	2. The Weasley Family Picnic

Ch2.  
  
Chapter 2 Weasley (and Potter) Family Picnic  
  
Disclaimer ~ I do not own the characters only the plot. And I thank you for reading it. (  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny and Angelina walked in the doors of Hermione's arpartment building. It was a muggle flat building. They held the muggle phone book open to the page with Hermione's address. "Okay. Flat B13."  
  
They hopped into the elevator, and Ginny pushed the button for the second floor. She giggled as the door opened. "Dad would love this."  
  
She stepped into the hall as Angelina waddled behind her slowly. She knocked on the door to B13. She tapped her foot for a minute, before kncking again. Angelina soon joined her side. She knocked again. "Hold on. I'm coming!"  
  
Hermione opened her door to Angelina and Ginny. "Hello." She said putting an earring into her ear. "What brings you by?"  
  
"We were going to go plan the wedding back at the burrow." Ginny asked.  
  
"But, it looks like you're busy." Angelina added.  
  
"I was going to go visit my parents today." She added buttoning up the front of her blazer. She adjusted the skirt that went down to her knee. The suit was a light tan and matched beatutifully with her dark skin.  
  
"Oh. We just stopped by to ask if you wanted to come."  
  
"I wish I could." She lied.  
  
"Well, you can. You could always visit your parents later." Ginny said raising her eyebrows.  
  
"I promised them I'd be by today though."  
  
"Hermione. Quit making excuses. Just come with us and we'll leave you alone."  
  
"I'm not going to have anything to do there all day."  
  
"No. You can help. I've always admired your taste."  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrow at the redhead. Ginny's clothes were fashionable, while hers were conventional, and a little conservatitve. "You do not."  
  
"Okay, so maybe it's not MY style, but it looks great on you! Who else could make pearl earrings look good?"  
  
Hermione smiled and leaned against her open doorway. "Quit sucking up. I'll come. I'm not promising to stay long though."  
  
"Good. Can we apparate from your apartment?" Hermione opened her door further and allowed room for the two girls to step through. "Nice place you got here." Ginny said looking around.  
  
"Thanks. Ready?" The two girls nodded and they all aparated to the Burrow.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"Today is the perfect day for a picnic, mum." George told his mother, carrying a large bowl of salad.  
  
"The annual Weasley Picnic!" Mr. Weasley said in a sing-song voice.  
  
"And Potter!" Harry said piping up. "Where's Ginny?" He asked looking around.  
  
"Angelina and Ginny went somewhere earlier this morning." Fred said steppiong out from behind a tree.  
  
"Oh, no." Harry said.  
  
"What?" Fred asked.  
  
"Ginny and Angelina have their minds set on getting Hermione and Ron back together."  
  
"Bloody hell, that's not good. Ron and Hermione can't get along. You'd better watch out Harry, or you'll get pulled into this whole mess again."  
  
"I know. That's what I told Ginny last night. Stupid Weasley stubborness. No offense." Harry said raising his hands at Fred.  
  
"None taken. Luckily it skipped this handsome fellow."  
  
"You guys talking about me?" Ron asked stepping up to the two boys. He smiled goofily snapping his eyes shut. "I heard handsome fellow."  
  
"We were actually talking about me." Fred replied.  
  
"You? A handsome fellow? If handsome is the same as hideous!" George said stepping into the conversation.  
  
"George! We twins! Identical twins!" Fred shouted at his brother.  
  
"So what? Everyone knows I'm the better looking of the two."  
  
Harry and Ron laughed at the two fueding brothers. "What's the big fight about?" Ginny asked wrapping her arms around Harry's waist.  
  
Angelina waddled slowly behind alongside a brunette girl. They were talking in hushed tones. The brunette seemed angry about something.  
  
"Ginny. You shouldn't have broughten Hermione here." Harry whispered into his fiance's ear. She leaned up and looked at him.  
  
"Don't worry."  
  
Angelina and Hermione finally made it into the group of people. "Hello everyone!" Angelina said cheerfully.  
  
"Hullo dear." Fred answered placing a kiss on her cheek.  
  
"What's going on?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Fred and George are fighting over who is more handsome." Ron answered his little sister.  
  
Hermione's knees went weak and she felt as though she was going melt. It had been so long since she heard his sweet voice. It sounded so different. She must've forgotton it after all the years.  
  
"You are aware that you are identical twins, right?" Angelina asked looking up at her husband.  
  
"Right. There must be a reason why you married me and not him though. It's because I'm better looking."  
  
Hermione found herself laughing at the arguing twins. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed the Weasleys. All of the heads turned in her direction, and she stopped laughing. "Who's your lovely friend?" George asked stepping towards Hermione. He picked up her hand and lightly kissed it.  
  
Hermione's cheeks flushed, and she looked down at her feet. "You know her." Ginny replied.  
  
"No. I think I would remember if you had a friend this pretty." He bowed in front of her.  
  
"She went to school with us." Angelina replied.  
  
"Really? What year?" Ron asked.  
  
"Same as you." Ginny replied folding her arms across her chest.  
  
"What house were you in?" George asked.  
  
"Gryffindor." Hermione finally spoke looking up. She looked at all the faces. George's mouth hung open, and Fred looked quizzically between Angelina and Ginny.  
  
"Hermione?" Ron asked stepping forward. He walked to her and looked down into her face. Looking closely into her chocolate brown eyes he gasped. "Bloody hell, it is you."  
  
Hermione nodded. "Surprise!" Ginny said happily, as Harry cupped his hand over her mouth. He shooshed her as everyone stayed with their eyes fixed on the two.  
  
"What are you doing here?" He asked looking down at her, as if she were some kind of child.  
  
"Ginny invited me." She answered.  
  
"Well, you don't look like a Weasley to me."  
  
"Ron! That was terribly rude." Angelina yelled at him.  
  
"Okay, time for some music then. Mum! Play some music!" George shouted to his mother. Music slowly began to play.  
  
"Everyone find a partner to dance with." Ginny said loudly.  
  
Everyone paired up, leaving only Hermione and Ron left. He sighed. "Would you like to dance?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "I guess." She answered as a slow song began to play. She stepped into him and wrapped her arms around his shoulder.  
  
"How have you been?" He asked looking around the room. His voice held no emotion.  
  
"Good. I suppose. Very busy."  
  
He rolled his eyes at her. "Of course, what with saving the Minister of Magic's son and all."  
  
She ignored his last comment. "So what have you been up to?"  
  
"Oh. *I* actually BECAME a auror."  
  
"Stop it. You know that isn't fair." Hermione said looking up at him.  
  
"You sure have changed. Didn't even recognize you anymore." He stared down at her chest. She looked down to where he was looking and stepped away from him.  
  
"Ronald Weasley! You are such a jerk!" She turned away from him. Ginny ran over to the girl. "I can't believe you brought me here!"  
  
"The Weasley's never have been good enough for you, have they Hermione?" Ron shouted to her as Harry drug him away.  
  
"Err! Now can you see why it's never going to work?" She shouted as she pulled out her wand. "I can't stand him, and he can't stand me." She apparated back to her flat and sat down on her couch.  
  
Ginny apparated in a few seconds later. "Hermione. You can't deny that you have feelings for him."  
  
"You're right. I can't. I admit it. I'll probably always have feelings for him. But that doesn't change what happened. It's over between us."  
  
"But he feels the same way! You can change!"  
  
"What if I don't want to change?" She asked turning to Ginny. "What if I'm happy with the life I have?"  
  
"You can't tell me your happy living in this flat all alone. All you ever do is work. It looks like you hadn't eaten in a million years! You're not happy."  
  
"If you're expecting for me to say that I regret what happened 7 years ago, it's not going to happen."  
  
"I'm not expecting that, 'Mione."  
  
"Then what do you want from me?" She asked putting her face into her hands. Her shoulders shook with sobs.  
  
"I didn't mean to make you cry." She said putting her arms around Hermione's shoulders.  
  
"Don't be silly. You were completely right. I'm not happy. I'm miserable. Tonight just added to my misery."  
  
"You're not letting what Ron said get to you, are you? Oh, Hermione. You know Ron didn't mean what he said. As Harry always says," she changed her voice so it sounded like a man's, " Stupid Weasley Stubborness."  
  
Hermione smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I feel so stupid."  
  
"Don't feel stupid. You should go get some rest." Hermione nodded. "How about we go to breakfast tomorrow? You, Ang, and me?"  
  
"I have work tomorrow. Lunch is good though."  
  
"Alright. We'll pick you up from the hospital, and we'll have lunch at my place." Hermione nodded and wentto her bedroom.  
  
"Goodnight Ginny." Hermione called as she shut the door.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny apparated back to the picnic. She searched the crowd for Harry and Ron, and saw them sitting under a tree talking. She jogged over and sat down on the ground by them.  
  
"How's Hermione?" Harry asked.  
  
"She's pretty upset." Ginny sighed as she sat down.  
  
"I feel like such a jerk." Ron said picking blades of grass out of the ground.  
  
"You should." Ginny replied to her brother.  
  
"And you should've told me she was coming."  
  
"I know. Harry was right. I should've kept my nose out of your buisness."  
  
"Well, that doesn't help now." Ron replied throwing the grass onto the ground.  
  
"I have an idea. Hermione's coming over to my flat tomorrow afternoon for lunch. You two could just happen to pop in for lunch, not knowing she's there." Ginny suggested as a slow smile crept across her face.  
  
"No, I don't think that's a good idea." Harry added.  
  
"That's perfect!" Ron smiled as he stood up. "Thans, Gin! Now all I have to do is keep my big mouth shut."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
What do ya think? Are my chapters long enough? This one is just under 13 pages in Word. Well, please review if you want more!!!! 


	3. The Accident

Chapter 3 The Accident  
  
Disclaimer ~ I don't own the characters only the plot.  
  
Hey all! I have finally figured out how to redo the spacing. It may take a few cays for me to work with what is here, so don't expect an update soon. I have to fix 4 more chapters!  
  
ALSO! A big thanks to Hpfanatic101 for spending endless hours of her time helping me restore my stories. Without her we wouldn't be reading this. Now, a big hand for Hpfanatic101.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"Dr. Granger, Ginny Weasley is waiting for you outside." The nurse called to Hermione.  
  
"Thank you, Norma." Hermione answered pulling off her gloves. She set her glasses aside and picked up a clipboard. "That's it, I'm off to lunch then." She jotted something down on the clipboard and handed it to the nurse.  
  
"Thank you Dr. Granger." The nurse said tucking it into her robes. "What time will you be back?" She asked following Hermione into the hall.  
  
"I don't know. How long does a lunch break usually last?" Hermione asked shrugging the robes off her shoulders. She walked quickly down the hall, |running into Ginny. "Hullo Ginny."  
  
"Well, that depends. I suppose you're entitled to a longer lunch break, considering you haven't taken one since you started here." The nurse answered rushing after her.  
  
"How much do YOU get Norma." Hermione asked.  
  
"Well, I get an 45 minutes."  
  
"Alright. I'll be back in 45 minutes then." Hermione answered.  
  
"Ready?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded, and pulled out her wand.  
  
"Dr. Granger! Wait!" Ginny and Hermione stopped walking and turned around. "Dr. Granger, Mr. Wingless in room 221 is having a seizure."  
  
She sighed and turned to Ginny. "I'm sorry Gin. You'll have to go without me. I'll meet you at your place in fifteen minutes."  
  
Ginny nodded. "Alright. See you." And with a poof she'd apparated.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny popped back into her flat, and walked into the kitchen. She walked behind Harry and Ron, who was pacing madly across her floor. "Where's Hermione?" He asked, looking around.  
  
"At work." Ginny answered sitting down in a wooden chair at her table. She placed her wand down on the table, and leaned back in her chair.  
  
"What do you mean, she's at work. She's supposed to be here." Ron began as his sister rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"Relax, Ron. She'll be here in a little while. She had a patient to tend to." Ginny picked up her wand and started preparing their lunch. "It's so nice to see Hermione, again." She spoke quietly.  
  
"Yeah." Harry answered walking behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I've really missed her." He whispered into her ear.  
  
She smiled and turned to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's almost like playing house." She giggled into his shoulder.  
  
"We don't have to play." Harry answered. Hermione looked up at her fiancée.  
  
"What are you talking about?" She asked looking up at him. You could always just move in with me." He answered. Ginny glanced over his shoulder at Ron. She smiled. "Later?" He asked knowing what her answer was. She nodded.  
  
She leaned up and pressed her lips softly against his. "That's enough, you two." Ron growled at the kissing couple. Ginny and Harry broke apart and looked at Ron. Ginny carried the dishes over to the table, and put them down.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione apparated into Ginny's home and called out her name, "Ginny?"  
  
"In here!" She heard Ginny call, and she followed the direction that the voice was coming from. She walked into the kitchen and looked around.  
  
"Oh. I had no idea you'd already invited guests. I'll just be leaving then." Hermione turned to leave, but Ginny shot up.  
  
"Hermione! Wait! You don't have to go! Sit down." She ushered Hermione over to a seat across from Ron.  
  
"Hello, Hermione!" Harry said cheerily as he sat down next to her. He put his hands over hers and she smiled at him for a moment before Ron cleared his throat.  
  
Hermione looked up and met his eyes with a cold stare. "Hermione, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday."  
  
"That's okay." She looked up at his eyes, and for a moment she saw a flicker of anger.  
  
"Well?" He asked looking at her expectantly.  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Well, aren't you going to apologize?"  
  
"Apologize for what? You were the one being a jerk not me."  
  
Ron laughed angrily. "It's always about you, isn't it?" Mimicking her voice he began, "I'm never a stupid bitch, Ron's the only one that ever acts like a spoiled prat. I'm never wrong, either. Poor stupid Ron, with the dirt on his nose."  
  
"You are such an arsehole!" She yelled grabbing a glass of water from the table and flinging it into his face. "I can't stand you! As a matter of fact I hate you!" She pulled her wand from her pocket.  
  
"I hate you, too!" He stood up pulling his wand out as well.  
  
"Fine!" she yelled.  
  
"Fine!" Ron yelled right back at her.  
  
"ARRRRRRRRR!" She screamed and vanished with a pop. Ron did the same as he apparated back to his flat.  
  
Harry sighed and looked over at his fiancé. "They are so in love!" Ginny said as she stared at the two stacks of smoke that lay on her kitchen floor from where the two had angrily apparated.  
  
Harry stared at her incredulously, "Are you kidding me? Did you hear any of their conversation at all? I don't know about you, but last time I checked hate and love were not the same thing."  
  
"Oh, Harry! Are you that dense?" He looked at her with a bewildered expression. "They've always been like that! Remember the time that Ron thought that Crookshanks was trying to kill Scabbers? Or in fourth year around the time of the Yule Ball?" Harry smiled nodding his head. He remembered Ron and Hermione's rows very well. He also remembered how he always happened to get between them. But the fights had only served the two to grow closer. Sure, the fights came frequently, and each time they became more aggressive. But then, the making up between the two got more loving. Soon after a fight in fifth year, the two had been arguing about who can remember, and Ron leaned down and kissed her. Right there, in the middle of the common room, in front of all the Gryffindors.  
  
"See? Imagine if they ever make up from this fight!" Ginny giggled. "We may have little nieces and nephews running around!"  
  
Harry laughed and shook his head. "That is if they ever get back together."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron sat down with a huff on the couch. He opened the bottle Ogden's Fire whiskey that was so generously awaiting him on his coffee table. He gulped down a good portion of the bottle before setting it down. His eyes became blurry, as he reached for the bottle again. Not quite the effect he was going for. Finishing the bottle and dropping it to the ground, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Putting his hand to his face he wiped the water off. He felt his eyes get heavy as he began to dose off.  
  
*~*Flashback*~*~  
  
Ron leaned over the counter staring down into the glass. His eyes scanned over all the shiny objects inside and his eyes landed on one.  
  
"That one." He said pointing.  
  
The man behind the counter opened the glass and took the ring out. He placed it into Ron's open hand. "It's beautiful!" Ginny answered looking over his shoulder.  
  
~*~*End Flashback*~*~  
  
Ron woke with a start the next morning as he felt a wand poking into his arm. Ron wake up!" He opened his eye and stared at Harry who was hovering above him. "We've got to go."  
  
"Alright. No need to yell. I'm up."  
  
" Wasn't yelling." Harry answered bending over to pick up the empty liquor bottle. "You didn't drink this whole bottle, did you?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, I did. And now I have a huge headache, so I think I'll be throwing up now."  
  
"We need to go." Harry said grabbing him by the arm.  
  
"Fine. Let me get my wand."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Harry was the first to apparate into the forest followed by Ron. "What's going on? Where are we?" Ron asked as he looked around at the familiar forest. "Is this?"  
  
"Yes. It's the Forbidden Forrest. We had a message from Dumbledore. Something attacked the Gryffindors during a Quidditch practice yesterday. Three of the kids are still in the infirmary. The rest appear to be okay."  
  
Ron nodded his head, usual Auror business. "Are we questioning them today?"  
  
Harry shook his head, "Not today. Today we'll be questioning some of the forest creatures." Ron closed his eyes. "You head that way." Ron reopened his eyes and looked in the direction that Harry was pointing.  
  
"Oh no!" Ron said shaking his head vigorously. "Aragog lives that way and you know it!"  
  
Harry tried hard not to laugh. "Ron, you're a grown man. Suck it up and do as I say."  
  
"Why don't you do it then?"  
  
"Because. I need to go see Firenze."  
  
"I'll go see the centaurs. You go talk to the spider thing."  
  
"I can't! I need to talk to the snakes too."  
  
"You're just as afraid as I am!" Harry glared at Ron and he sighed. "Fine. I'll go." Ron said heading the other way.  
  
Harry laughed and looked the other way.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron tried to distract himself, which came easily as his thoughts kept traveling back to Hermione. He tried whistling, but every song reminded him of something that had to do with her. He began whistling again until he heard crunching behind him.  
  
He turned his head quickly and saw some brush move. He shook his head and began walking again; it must have been some sort of creature. Then he heard it again, coming from beside where he was walking.  
  
His head jolted to where the noise had just come from. His fingers tightened around his wand and in a shaky voice he called out, "Hello? Who's there?" After a few minutes of repeating the question, with no answer he eased up. Looking towards the ground for any spiders, he continued walking.  
  
Aware of the sounds coming from behind him, he suddenly whirled around and looked to the ground. At the sight he started to laugh for startling himself over such a silly little thing. "Hello there little guy." Ron smiled bending down to touch the furry little creature.  
  
|It started to gurgle and shake violently, shreds of hair flying in different directions. He stepped back and watched as the soft brown and white fur changed into rough, black skin. It started to grow and grow, taking up more space around, causing Ron to slowly back away.  
  
Finally it was one solid lumpy mass formed into a ball in the middle of the path. His eyes widened as he saw it slowly stretch out into a more human form. It started to stand itself up and when it finally stood its place, it was a good three feet taller than the 6 foot Ron.  
  
Craning his neck, he looked up at the beast, and it's huge red eyes bore into his. It started to make a noise, some sort of sinister laugh, as |Ron's head started to burn like it was on fire. Ron screamed as loud as he could before his knees gave out underneath him.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Harry jumped over a log and landed gracefully on the other side. He continued down the path, until he heard a scream in the distance. Ron's scream. He ran in the direction that he was just coming from, hoping that he was going the right way.  
  
A green snake walked into the path in front of Harry. "Stupid human."  
  
"Wait! Can you tell me where that scream was coming from?" Harry hissed at the snake.  
  
"Maybe you are not just a stupid human. Follow me. I will show you the boy with the flaming red hair."  
  
Harry nodded as the snake began to slither it's way through bushes and trees. Harry's skin was getting cut, but he didn't care. All he could think of was Ron in danger. If Aragog had done something to him, it would be his fault for making Ron talk to him. But Ron was a trained professional and knew how to deal with situations like these  
  
The snake stopped abruptly causing Harry to look up. "There!" It hissed. The large figure that loomed over Ron was glowing red.  
  
Harry watched as Ron held up his wand from the ground and pointed it at the beast. He yelled several spells, all of which would ricochet, off of his red aura causing it to glow redder.  
  
Harry stepped up from behind the bushes with his wand in his hand. A noise came from the beast so loud and ear piercing that Harry threw his wand behind him, when he hastily plugged his ears. Crawling back to pick up his wand he turned back to the scene.  
  
He ran forward with his wand and looked at the unconscious or dead body of Ron. He pointed the wand at the huge beast. It began shaking and shrinking until Harry couldn't see it anymore.  
  
He heard the rustle of the bushes as it began to run off in the opposite direction. Harry fell to the ground beside Ron, and put his ear to his mouth. Sitting back up he thanked Merlin that Ron was still breathing. He picked the redheaded man in his arms and pulled out his wand, apparating. ~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
A/N: This is my first take at writing something action/adventurey okay? I hope so. Well, I'd really appreciate it if you'd review! Thanks!  
  
|Top of Form 1 | |[pic] | 


	4. Hermione's Help

Chapter 4 Hermione's Help  
  
Disclaimer ~ I don't own the characters, only the plot and that isn't very original anyway!  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione stretched out in her bed. A persistent knocker at the door was rudely interrupting her from her sleep. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" She looked at her muggle clock.  
  
"9:00 am? This better be pretty damn important. This is my week off."  
  
She walked down the hall to the door at the end. The knocking wouldn't stop. "I said I'm coming." She swung the door open. And her face softened at the sight as she gasped.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny sat at her kitchen table with Angelina. "Are you hungry?" She asked while making tea for them both.  
  
"No thanks. Harry at work?"  
  
"Yeah. I wish he'd be more careful. I don't like the idea of him or Ron being Aurors. It's such a dangerous job."  
  
Angelina nodded. "Yes. Take Neville Longbottom's parents for example. The poor couple is stuck in St. Mungo's for the rest of their lives. It's a pity. They don't even recognize their own son."  
  
Ginny nodded. "I worry about the two of them all day long. I wish they chose a job more safe. Hermione was wise not to become an auror like them. Then I'd be stuck worrying about three people." She set the two cups of tea on the table.  
  
"Hermione always was wise beyond her years." Angelina said taking a sip of her tea before setting it on the saucer.  
  
"She's an excellent doctor. The best the wizarding world has. Probably the best they'll ever see."  
  
"What are we going to do about Hermione and Ron anyway?"  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione opened her door widely. "Harry! What happened?" She asked as Harry carried the bloody redhead into her flat.  
  
"Something attacked him. I don't know what it was!" Harry said in a panicked voice.  
  
"Why didn't you bring him to a hospital?!" Hermione asked angrily. "You're putting his life into danger!"  
  
"Hermione, you're a doctor!"  
  
"These aren't hospital facilities, Harry!"  
  
"I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking! I just panicked. I didn't know where to bring him."  
  
Hermione sighed. "Put him in my room." Hermione said leading the way. Harry followed her down the hall into a large room. He set the unconscious Ron down on her bed.  
  
Hermione hurried out of the room, and came back with her wand. Harry paced back and forth in her room. She walked over to the bed and sat down next to Ron.  
  
"Is he going to be okay?" Harry asked looking over her shoulder. She glared at him. "Maybe I should wait out there." Hermione nodded at him.  
  
After Harry left, Hermione began to work. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt. "Ron, you're so stupid. I warned you this would happen." She sighed and lifted him off the bed slightly pulling his shirt off his shoulders.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Harry apparated to Ginny's apartment. He ran into the kitchen where she was sitting with Angelina.  
  
"Harry! What's wrong?" She rushed to him.  
  
"Ron!" He choked out.  
  
"Is Ron in trouble? Where is he Harry?" She asked grabbing onto Harry. Tears began to slip out of the corner of her eyes. Angelina scurried over.  
  
"He's at Hermione's. I didn't know where to bring him. It was so big!"  
  
"What was big? Harry! What was big?"  
  
"We have to go help him, Ginny!" He said.  
  
Ginny turned to Angelina. "Go to the burrow. Tell mum what happened. We're going over to Hermione's." Angelina nodded and apparated out.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione slowly pulled Ron's pants off over his ankle and dropped them onto the floor. She pulled off his boxer shorts and set them in the pile. She ran her fingers down his body. Her eyes fixed on a big open wound in his stomach.  
  
She picked up her wand and muttered a spell. She got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom. She opened her cabinet and started pulling all sorts of bottles out, carrying them down the hall into her bedroom.  
  
Harry and Ginny stood above the bed, looking down at Ron. She pushed past them setting the bottles onto her nightstand. "I need a cup." Hermione said as she opened a bottle. Ginny nodded and hurried out of the room.  
  
"Will he be okay?" Harry asked quietly.  
  
Hermione put her fingers onto his neck to feel for a pulse. She put her ear to his mouth. "His breathing is very irregular."  
  
"Is that bad?"  
  
Hermione nodded, "He has 8 cracked ribs, and two broken ones. He has a severe open wound on his stomach. He also has a high fever. Did you see what happened?" She asked turning to him.  
  
"I was too far away. It was something big though."  
  
Hermione nodded as Ginny entered the room with a large glass. "Thank you." She said taking the cup from her. She poured a thick green liquid into the cup, and set it on the stand. She cradled Ron's head and tilted it up. She put the cups to his lips, and tried forcing the liquid down his throat. The fluid dribbled out the corner of his mouth.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I can't get him to take anything until he becomes conscious again. I don't know how long that could be."  
  
"Should we take him to the hospital?"  
  
Hermione shook her head, "No, we shouldn't move his body."  
  
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Harry asked hugging Ginny close to him.  
  
Hermione shook her head. "We'll wait outside then." Ginny told her. The two left the room shutting the door behind them.  
  
Hermione picked up her wand and got to work on Ron again. She began rambling off dozens of spells, and the results slowly began to show.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny and Harry sat on the couch in Hermione's living room. Harry held his head in his hands. "It's all my fault."  
  
"No Harry. You did the right thing bringing him here. He's going to be okay."  
  
Angelina apparated into the room followed by her husband, and their parents. "Where is he?" Mrs. Weasley questioned. Her eyes were red, as if she'd been crying.  
  
"He's in the bedroom, mum. Hermione's working on him."  
  
"I have to see him."  
  
"No! Sit down Molly. Let the girl work." Mr. Weasley set her down on the couch by Ginny and motioned for Harry to follow him. The men went into the kitchen. "Is he alright, Harry?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "Hermione says he's in bad shape."  
  
"He'll be okay, won't he?" Fred asked biting his nails.  
  
"I hope so. Ginny's sure that Hermione will get him to pull through, but Hermione's not so sure."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Everyone turned his or her heads to the door where Hermione stood. Mrs. Weasley shot up. "Is he okay?"  
  
"His stomach wound is taken care of. I can't fix any of his bones until he wakes up, and is ready to take medicine for it. His breathing has returned to normal somewhat. The fever is increasing though. That's my main concern."  
  
"Can we see him?" Fred asked.  
  
"Not yet. You're all welcome to stay as long as you want though." She walked further into the room. "Does anyone need anything?" she asked.  
  
"No. You've done enough for us."  
  
She smiled at the Weasley family. The sweet, caring people she used to love so much. "Is that all Ron's blood?" Mrs. Weasley asked looking at Hermione's clothes.  
  
Hermione looked down at her blood stained pajamas. She blushed realizing that her clothes weren't really appropriate. "Yes. It's not as much as it looks like. He didn't actually loose that much blood. It's a miracle really."  
  
The group nodded. They lingered on her every word. "Is he going to be okay?" Ginny piped up.  
  
Hermione sighed. "I can't really say. Things are beginning to look up compared to earlier though."  
  
Ginny smiled. "He's going to be okay."  
  
"I hope so." Hermione sighed under her breath.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione sat at the edge of her bed, staring at Ron's pale face. "Good Morning." Ginny said from the doorway. Hermione turned and smiled faintly as the redhead walked to the bed and took a seat next to her. "How is he?"  
  
"He's doing very well." Hermione said putting her hand to Ron's forehead. "His temperate is almost normal."  
  
"Oh, That's great!" Ginny squealed, throwing her arms around Hermione's shoulders. "I knew you could do it! Everyone else doubted you, but not me!  
  
Hermione frowned. "Oh, No! That's not what I meant. Okay, so maybe it is."  
  
"'scuse me, Ladies." Harry said stepping into the room, and kissing Ginny on top of her head. "How's Ron doing?"  
  
"Hermione said he's doing much better!"  
  
"That's great! How long do you think it'll be until he's on his feet again? I need a partner." Harry said smiling at the reaction from Ginny.  
  
"Harry! Your best friend and partner, not to mention my big brother, was just attacked. Could've been killed, and you want to go back to working on that case again!? No! I won't have it."  
  
"Ginny, it's my job. I owe it to Dumbledore and all that he's done for me, to go back and help. We can't have it attacking anymore students. There was another attack on some fifth year Hufflepuffs last night. They were serving Night Detention."  
  
"No. You listen when I tell you something Harry Potter!" Ginny screamed at him. Harry laughed, "Do not laugh at me!"  
  
"Relax, Ginny. I'm a trained professional auror!"  
  
"So was Ron, and look where it got him!" She said pointing to the body lying on the bed.  
  
"Ginny. We can't let this thing kill anyone, especially not Hogwarts students. I promise I'll get another partner to work with."  
  
Ginny sighed. "Fine. I want to meet this partner first. He better be good."  
  
"How about a she?" Harry asked looking at Hermione.  
  
"What?" Ginny asked following her eyes to where Harry was looking. "Oh! Yes, a female partner would be just wonderful!"  
  
"So, how about it Hermione?" She looked up at the two. "Will you help me? You know you want to find out what's behind this, just as much as I do."  
  
"No. I can't." Hermione swallowed. "What about him?" She asked pointing to Ron.  
  
"I can watch him!" Ginny piped up. "Mum, can help too!"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Alright. I'll help as much as I can."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
A/N: More to come. I hope you have been enjoying my story. I don't know if ya'll like it or not, but I'm going to continue it anyway! 


	5. Hogwarts

Chapter 5 Hogwarts  
  
Disclaimer ~ I don't own the characters. Only the plot.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"I f he wakes up, you need to give him this straight away." Hermione told Ginny and Molly Weasley, handing the thick bottle of green syrup she retrieved when Ron was first brought to her flat. Both women nodded and she set the bottle on the table next to her bed.  
  
"I mean it. Before you even talk to him, give him about a cup full. Then get to me as soon as you can. Understand?" They nodded again and Hermione grabbed her wand. "Alright, then. Keep a good eye on him." She told them before apparating into the Forbidden Forest.  
  
Harry stood in the middle of the forest looking at his watch. "Took you long enough." He said impatiently. She nodded and walked to where he was standing. She looked around at the giant charred ring of grass. "This is where I found Ron." He pointed to a clearing just behind some tall plants. "That's where I saw the- the thing. Whatever it was."  
  
Hermione nodded and kneeled on the ground touching her fingers to the grass. "Was there a fire?" She asked looking up at his face.  
  
"Nope. There was like a huge force field that was blocking Ron's spells, and using them to build a defense shield for the thing. I've never seen or heard of a spell like that before, have you?"  
  
Hermione shook her head fiercely. "Perhaps it was a spell invented by whatever the thing was." She stood up again and turned back to Harry, who had begun to walk towards Hogwarts.  
  
"I reckon."  
  
"Was it human, Harry?" She asked jogging to catch up with him.  
  
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think it was completely human. It was taller than Ron, around nine feet I'd say." He looked over at Hermione from the corner of her eye. Her arms were at her side and she had a thoughtful look on her face.  
  
"Do you reckon it could've been part giant? You know, like Hagrid?"  
  
"That's what I was thinking." He said looking at the ground. They came to the clearing and crossed the Hogwarts grounds to the castle. "We're going to go ask some questions to the kids that were attacked."  
  
Hermione nodded and followed Harry to the infirmary. Catching several confused glimpses of the children, while the Minister of Magic's son waved at her. Hermione smiled and waved back. Passing her old Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom she peered inside quickly to hear a familiar voice talking to some third years about Grindylows.  
  
Harry pulled her arm away from the door and she walked further down the hall. She had to walk fast to match Harry's step, as for every step he took she had to take two. Finally they were at the opened door of Hogwart's infirmary. She followed him into the crowded room.  
  
They both looked around at the children who lay in the hospital bed. A man stood at the end of a bed, taking pictures, while the woman standing next to him was interviewing a child on the bed.  
  
"Harry?" The man with the camera approached. "Harry Potter?" A smile spread across his face as he raced over to Harry shaking his hand vigorously.  
  
"Hullo Colin." Harry said politely shaking his hand. "You know Hermione." Harry said pointing to her. Colin nodded while the woman interviewing the young boy strode over.  
  
"Dr. Hermione Granger?" She asked pulling out a pad and a Quick-Quotes Quill setting them on a table nearby. She turned her attention to the quill as it stood on its tip on the pad, waiting to exaggerate any words that came from her mouth. "I'm Renee Skeeter, reporter for the Daily Prophet." She held her hand out to Hermione.  
  
Hermione looked down at her hand with a look of disgust and batted it away. "I know exactly who you are."  
  
Renee shrugged her shoulders and began again. "I was wondering if I could have a word with you. Oh, and Mr. Potter of course."  
  
"We're very busy today, Miss Skeeter. If you would be so kind as to leave." Harry told her as he pushed both her, and Colin out of the door.  
  
"Goodbye, Harry!" Colin waved as Harry shut the door.  
  
"Some things never change." Harry shook his head walking to the bed where the boy Renee was interviewing earlier, sat. "Hello, I'm Harry. Do you mind if we ask you a couple questions?" He asked the frail looking boy as Hermione took a seat at the other side of the bed. The boy nodded his head. "Can you tell us how the thing appeared out on the pitch?"  
  
The boy opened his mouth to answer, and a loud scratchy cough came out of his throat, while he tried to sit up in the bed. Hermione jumped up. "No. You need to lie down. Harry, he's not well enough to be talking yet. We need to wait until he's recovered."  
  
Harry opened his mouth to protest, but shut it again remembering that it was useless to fight with Hermione when her mind was set. Especially when someone's health was in danger. He nodded and turned to the boy. "Is there anyone else who saw it that I can speak to?"  
  
The boy nodded and squeaked out, "Phinius Harbrick. He's a third year Hufflepuff. He was early to quidditch practice yesterday, too. We both saw it." Harry nodded and stood up, Hermione mimicking his movements.  
  
She turned back to the boy before leaving the infirmary, "Get plenty of rest, alright?" She saw the boy nod, and Harry roll his eyes out of the corner of her eye.  
  
The two traveled down the halls trying to decide the best way to find Phinius Harbrick. Finally deciding to find Professor Dumbledore. But instead of finding him, he seemed to find them as they wandered the hallway. "Ah, Mr. Potter, and if my eyes do not deceive me, Miss Granger."  
  
Hermione smiled her head. "Hullo Professor Dumbledore." She curtsied in front of him, and Harry snickered at her. She glared at him from the corner of her eye and turned back to Dumbledore.  
  
He laughed heartily before replying, "That isn't necessary any longer. After all, we no longer share a teacher/pupil relationship. Please call me Albus."  
  
She blushed and cleared her throat. "Alright, Albus." She heard Harry snort with laughter again and she lightly kicked the back of his leg. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as the two shared their friendly row.  
  
Harry straightened and looked at Dumbledore, "Sir, do you know where we can find Mr. Phinius Harbrick?"  
  
He nodded. "He is in Defense Against the Dark Arts right now. It's in the same room." The two nodded and began to walk down the hall as Dumbledore called after them; "It is really nice to see you two together again!"  
  
Down the hall Hermione grabbed Harry's forearm and he patted her hand. They nodded to each other, both knowing that it was really good to see each other again.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron turned in his bed and slowly opened his eye slowly. A pain shot through his entire and he groaned as the bright white light hit his face. Opening his other eye, he looked around the room. He tried to turn his head but the pain was so terrible that he hut his eyes and felt himself fall back into unconsciousness.  
  
~*~*Flahback*~*~  
  
Ron held the ring up to his left eye and gazed at it. "It is quite lovely." Harry said smiling at the sparkling jewel. "She'll love it, Ron."  
  
Ron looked up at the man, "How much did you say it was?"  
  
"Its 1300 Galleons." The man replied, looking at Ron, "But for you, it's 1000."  
  
Ron smiled at the man's generosity. It was true; Hermione would love the ring. And although he had Auror School to pay for, and finding money to live on with only a part time job wasn't going to be easy for him, but the ring was perfect. "I'll take it." Ron smiled as he pushed the ring back over.  
  
"But, Ron! That's so much! Are you sure-" Ginny began, but stopped as Ron put his hand up.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll manage."  
  
~*~*End Flashback*~*~  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Harry and Hermione stood in the open doorway, watching the class. Hermione's eyes widened as she got a better look at the teacher. Harry smiled over at her and knocked on the door. The class, including the professor, looked to where the two stood.  
  
"Come in." He smiled warmly, as his face roamed down Hermione. She blushed and looked around the classroom. "Who's this lovely female you brought with this afternoon?" He bowed and picked up her hand, bringing it to his lips, causing her to blush even more.  
  
Harry smiled, trying to keep from laughing, before clearing his throat. "This is Hermione Granger. You remember her, don't you?"  
  
The professor's face turned a sickly color of pale green. "Oh. Hello, Hermione." He said turning back to Harry. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"We're looking for-uh, what's his name 'Mione?" Harry looked to his new partner.  
  
She sighed and rolled her eyes, before smiling at him. "Can't you remember anything? His name is Phinius. Phinius Harbrick." She smiled as Harry leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, receiving a suspicious glare from the professor who looked back at him through his narrow eyes.  
  
"Ah, yes. Mr. Harbrick! Would you please come up here?" The professor called to a boy with dark blonde hair and eyes almost a color of purple. He got up from his seat and went to the front of the classroom. Hermione heard him gulp as he turned to his professor.  
  
"Yes Professor?"  
  
"These two would like to take you from my class for a short while." He turned to Harry and Hermione and added, "I expect him back here rather quickly. We're very busy," He said nodding to a short creature in the corner.  
  
They both nodded, leading the boy out of his room.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"Now Mr. Harbrick," Harry said sitting next to Hermione and across the table from Phinius. "Would you say what you saw was more human, or more beast?" Hermione looked up from the parchment with her quill in her hand, ready to take notes of what he said.  
  
"Well, It was a little of both." Harry sighed. Hermione set down her quill. For the past ten minutes they'd been receiving the same kind of vague answers.  
  
"How so?" Hermione asked leaning across the table at him.  
  
"Uh, Well, it was both a beast and a man."  
  
Harry sighed. "That's all Mr. Harbrick. We'll be contacting you soon for more information."  
  
"But-"  
  
"That's all. Hermione, would you escort Phinius back to class?" Hermione nodded and she stood up from her chair and walked to the door. She stood aside waiting for him to walk ahead before following him out the door.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~ The two walked silently down the hall, stopping in front of the door, "Go back to your seat now," She told him and he nodded as he walked back into the classroom. She poked her head through the doorway, "Thank you Professor Malfoy." She nodded and smiled before turning to leave.  
  
"Granger! Er, Hermione- Wait!" Hermione paused as she saw Malfoy jog towards her at the door.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
A/N: Well, please read and review. And to all of those who also are reading 'Who Knew?', I'm sorry about not adding a chapter when I said I was going to. I'm just having a lot of trouble putting what is in my mind onto paper without sounding awfully cheesy. As for those who are loving this. I'm working on the next chapter. It'll probably be done by the time I post this, so I will post the next one soon! 


	6. Professor Malfoy and the Leaky Cauldron

Disclaimer I do not own the characters. I own the plot and the plot only. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.  
  
  
  
~*~*Flashback*~*~  
  
Ron held Hermione's hand in his own. He looked at her and took a deep breath as his fingers played across the small velvet box in his pocket. He pulled it out of the pocket of the black muggle tuxedo he wore, keeping it under the small, round table.  
  
Hermione unlocked her fingers from his as the waiter placed their dishes in front of them on the table. "Thank you." Ron whispered to the waiter as his fingers played with the small box, opening it and closing it.  
  
"Are you alright, Ron?" Hermione asked looking up from her dinner. "You've been acting weird all night. And you're sweating. Are you sure you're alright?"  
  
Ron nodded. "There's something I need to ask you." Ron stood up from his seat.  
  
~*~*End Flashback*~*~  
  
Hermione turned around again as Malfoy came jogging out of the classroom. Inside the classroom you could hear the skid of chairs as his students tried to take a peek at the female who'd suddenly caught their male professor's attention.  
  
With a glare over his shoulder the students rushed back into the classroom sitting once more at their desks. He turned back to Hermione. "Hullo." He said grabbing her hand and shaking it.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy." She said as she releases his hand and dropped her own to her side. Draco frowned that she called him Malfoy.  
  
"It's Draco." He said. His eyes grew fierce as he saw her nod her head nonchalantly. He had to remind himself why he had left the classroom. He also had to remind himself, that she had a reason to hate him. But after all, his mind told him, they were grown adults and should at least try to be civil towards each other. He swallowed his pride and began, "Hermione, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for how I treated you in school. For all the names I called you.  
  
"I know how wrong it was to call you Mudblood, and I know how much it hurt you. I was just repeating everything I was told to say. And now that my father is gone-" Draco swallowed hard at the mention of his father's death. Whether, it was pain of the loss he was showing, or pain his father put him through during his childhood, Hermione did not know. "Now that my father is dead. I know that I have to make amends with you.  
  
"I just wanted to know if you could ever find it in yourself to forgive me. For all the pain I put you through."  
  
"No." Hermione spat out. As much as she hated to say it, she couldn't just forgive him. Even after he had spilled all of his emotions out to her.  
  
"No?" For a minute Draco's face was hard and cold, like it was when they attended school. "I understand. It took a while for Ron to forgive me too. Maybe with some time-?"  
  
"Wait! Ron forgave you?" Hermione never thought she'd hear of Ron accepting an apology from a Malfoy. Ron certainly had changed after what happened all those years ago. He hadn't changed his attitude towards her, but forgiving Malfoy was certainly not like stubborn old Ron.  
  
Malfoy nodded his head. "Yeah. It took a lot of work, but he realized that I am genuinely sorry."  
  
Hermione stood thinking for a moment, "If Ron and Harry can both forgive you, than so can I." She said nodding her head.  
  
Draco smiled. "Then you wouldn't be interested in going out sometime- like on a date?" He stared down at his hands.  
  
Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I'll think about it."  
  
He smiled wider. "Okay." They both looked up to see Harry jogging down the corridors between them.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Harry sat across from Hermione at the table in The Leaky Cauldron. "So," Harry said looking at his menu, "I saw you talking to Malfoy."  
  
"Wait, I thought you guys got along now?"  
  
Harry snorted. "I do NOT get along with him. Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy."  
  
"But he apologized! And sounded sincere!"  
  
"You know as well as I do," He said setting down his menu, "That Malfoy could always put on a better act than any other person we've ever known."  
  
"He was a kid then!"  
  
"You saw how he had everyone wrapped around his finger!"  
  
"This is just like you. Both you and Ron, never accepting anything you didn't want to believe." Hermione slapped her hand flat on the table.  
  
"Let me guess. First he tried to make you feel bad for him about his dad dying, then he gave you a big smile and puppy eyes, and asked you out?"  
  
"No," Hermione lied. She looked at Harry's omniscient face. "Fine. He did! Is that what you wanted?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Cocky bastard." Hermione muttered under her breath looking back at the menu.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
A/N: I know this is a short little poopie, but I'll try to do more after school today! 


	7. The Awakening

Disclaimer ~ I don't own the characters!  
  
~*~*Flashback*~*~  
  
Ron kneeled in front of Hermione opening the box in front of her. He took a deep breath and began, "Hermione, I didn't bring you here tonight to celebrate finishing our first year in auror training." He cleared his throat and watched Hermione stiffen. "I brought you here because I wanted to ask you something I've been thinking about since we graduated from Hogwarts."  
  
He held on of her hands in his own, while his other hand held out the box. "Hermione Granger, will you do me the honor in becoming my wife?"  
  
Hermione's eyes began to tear up as she looked down at the ring. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't. Sobs came out of her chest as she gripped tightly onto his hand. Finally she released his long fingers from her own and looked at him.  
  
"Yes." She murmured as they both stood up and threw their arms around each other. "Yes, Ron!" She cried out as he leaned down to kiss her. The sounds of the fellow diners' clapping were drowning out as Ron ran his fingers threw Hermione's thick, brown hair.  
  
~*~*End Flashback*~*~  
  
Hermione stood at the foot of her bed she watched Ron's face intently before Harry entered the room. She turned to face him as he walked to her side. "How's he doing?" Harry asked turning to look at Ron.  
  
Hermione took a breath and smiled. "He's doing very well. I've never seen someone recover as fast as he has. Do you think he's just trying to give us a good scare?"  
  
He laughed. "If it was anyone else I would say know." He looked at Hermione's smiling face. "He has a good doctor, you know."  
  
She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "It's my job." She was so used to saying this. Everyone who had congratulated her on her on her work received this answer.  
  
Harry sensed her lack of enthusiasm; "Do you ever regret quitting Auror training?"  
  
She sighed and looked at Ron's feet. "There are a lot of things I regret, Harry, but that isn't one of them. I couldn't stick around. Someone had to leave, and I knew it was I. I regret what I did. Every day of my life I regret it. Even more now." She said pointing to Ron.  
  
"You don't think it's your fault he's like this do you?"  
  
"No, of course not." She shook her head, as she looked back to him. "I know it's not my fault. I'm just scared."  
  
"Scared of what?"  
  
"Scared that I'll never get to tell him that I'm sorry for what happened. I can't be in the same room and not fight with him. I wish it could go back to the way it was seven years ago."  
  
"Um, Hermione- Ron and you always fought like that. Ever since you first met you were constantly arguing with each other over stupid things." Hermione smiled. To think of it, it was really true. They were always constantly arguing way back from their first year at Hogwarts.  
  
"Harry, Thanks." She said putting her hand on his shoulder. "Have anything new about our case?" She smiled dully.  
  
"I'm putting Phinius Harbrick on the list of suspects."  
  
"Harry!" Hermione groaned. "He's thirteen years old! He's not capable of putting a twenty-five year old auror in a coma!"  
  
"You know he was acting suspicious, Hermione. I've seen some pretty weird things, and this wouldn't top the list."  
  
"But you yourself said it was at least nine feet tall!"  
  
"Yeah but it also turned into something less than one foot tall."  
  
Ron stirred and slowly opened his eyes. There were two blurred figures standing in front of him. He strained his ears trying to listen to the voices.  
  
"Well, even if that were true, it would mean that whatever it was had to be an anigmus. So the thing that was nine feet would have to have been the human form, before it changed into its smaller form." She thought for a minute. "Unless it was a poli-anigmi! Although there are only three registered poli-anigmi living now."  
  
"My dad wasn't a registered anigmi. Maybe there are unregistered poli- anigmi!"  
  
Ron recognized one of the voices as Harry's. The other was vaguely familiar. His eyes began to come into focus again as they darted around the white walls of the room. No wonder everything looked so bright. Everything was white and the white sunlight poking through the curtains was almost blinding.  
  
He moaned and sheilded the light from his eyes, "Where am I?"  
  
Hermione and Harry stopped their conversation and looked over at the bed. Ron's eyes appeared to be open as he lifted his covers, "Why am I naked?" He asked looking up at the two faces that were awestruck.  
  
Harry yelled, "Ginny! Mrs. Weasley! Come quick!" Harry yelled from the bedroom door as Hermione rushed to the bedside. She quickly grabbed the bottle of green goo from the table and poured it in a cup. She handed it to Ron.  
  
"Drink." She commanded as he eyed the cup.  
  
"I'm not going to drink this. You probably poisoned it."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and took the cup. "I'm a Medi-Witch. I do not poison my patients. See look." She took a small drink from the cup and handed it to Ron.  
  
He looked her over once before grabbing the cup. He downed it in one gulp and groaned as he felt his insides begin to burn. He began to cough and sputter as Hermione grabbed her wand from inside her robes. She pointed it at Ron and muttered a spell.  
  
He began to smile and grabbed her hand, pulling her back down and kissing her cheek, "I love you." HE smiled goofily, as Hermione began to flush.  
  
"Get some rest." She said patting his head and shooing everyone, including herself, out of the room.  
  
"What did you do to him?" Harry asked smiling. "That was funny!"  
  
"You should know what it was." She said, referring to the time in their third year when Harry had cast a Cheering Charm on Ron that was so powerful he had to leave the class room until he could stop laughing.  
  
Harry looked at her confused. She rolled her eyes and began again. "It was an advanced Cheering Charm. I usually use them one the kids at the hospital. The one I used on him, gives the wizard a drunken feeling. It's quite silly, really, but it seems to cheer them up and keep their mind off of the pain."  
  
"He'll go mad when we tell him what he said!" Ginny giggled.  
  
"It was just a spell. He really has know control over what he says. He was only feeling immense happiness. He probably would've sadi the same thing to Voldemort himself." Hermione smiled.  
  
Everyone else smiled along with her. However they all knew, Ron, whether in drunken stupor or not, had meant what he said in the bedroom.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
A/N: Review please! Than you Senors, and Senora, and Senoritas! Or whatever. Um, yeah! Alright.I'll be leaving now. I'd appreciate reviews.so do it! 


	8. Ron and Hermione At It Again

Disclaimer ~ I don't own the characters only the plot.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione snuck into her bedroom to check on Ron, like many times before. She poked her head through the door first, slowly pushing the rest of her body through the door. After maneuvering herself into the room she edged forward towards her bed.  
  
Hovering over the bed she peered down. Something wasn't right, she noticed as she leaned down for a closer look at him. She jumped back and gasped as she saw that his eyes were open. "You scared me!" She said hoarsely as she took a closer step.  
  
He chuckled. "It's kind of hard to sleep with all that noise you're making. You'd make less noise if you didn't try to sneak in."  
  
She laughed as she pulled a chair by her desk and put it next to the bed. She sat down on the chair and leaned in closer to the bed, resting her elbows on her knees. "How are you feeling?" She asked warmly as she removed an arm from her leg and pressed it against his forehead.  
  
He shifted positions underneath her so that her hand slipped onto the pillow top. "Would you hold still?" She asked angrily placing her hand on his forehead again. She leaned back in her chair after feeling his forehead. "You still have a fever."  
  
"It'll be down by tomorrow morning. I need to get back to work anyway."  
  
Hermione folded her arms across her chest, "No."  
  
"What do you mean, no?" He asked, sitting up in her bed.  
  
"I mean, No. You are not well enough to be out there again!" She crawled onto the bed and lightly pushed him down onto the bed again.  
  
"Hermione, we have a lot of work to do. I'm going to work tomorrow." He crossed his arms across his chest like Hermione had moments earlier.  
  
"Ron, you are NOT going back to work. You can't. I won't let you."  
  
"And who's going to stop me?" He growled as he pushed the covers off, preparing to leap out of the bed.  
  
He was too late though. Hermione had already pounced onto him, and had his arms pinned down to the mattress. He could easily remove her hands' grip on his arms if he wanted to. After all, he was a full-grown male wizard, not to mention, had three years in auror training.  
  
He found himself, however, enjoying the warmth radiating from Hermione as she stared down at him with a determined face; A face that almost aroused him. He shook his head as he pushed her off of himself.  
  
He climbed out of the bed and walked slowly towards the door. He had almost reached it when Hermione called out after him. "Ronald Weasley if you leave here, so help me God, I will get your mother."  
  
Ron froze and turned around, facing her. She looked at him from her position on the bed and he knew that she was serious. He sighed grumpily as he walked back towards her bed. Pulling the covers up, and crawling under them once again.  
  
She grabbed his wand from the floor and smiled triumphantly as she exited the room.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione stood over her stove in the kitchen humming happily as she stirred the contents of the pan. She loved cooking breakfast the muggle way. It cheered her up. Scooping the scrambled eggs out of a pan and pouring the lot into a bowl, she attended the pork sausage that was frying on another burner.  
  
She was too busy spreading butter onto the toast when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around grinning widely. "Ah! Just in time for breakfast!" She said cheerily as she pushed Harry, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley into the chairs at her small table in her breakfast nook.  
  
They shared confused looks as she brought five plates and set them down at the table. She began scooping eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast, anything imaginable onto the plates. After filling their cups with tea, she turned to them; "I'll be back in a minute!" She jogged out of the room.  
  
Harry took some of the eggs off his plate onto his fork. He put the lot into his mouth and after swallowing he smiled. "Hermione can cook!" The rest began to eat their plate of food.  
  
Hermione returned a few minutes later, with Ron, whose arm was wrapped tightly around her shoulder. One of her arms held him tightly around the waist, while the other held onto the arm strung over her shoulder.  
  
She led him to one of the chairs and sat him down in it. She smiled at the rest as she took her seat. "I told him if he wanted breakfast, he'd have to come out here and get it."  
  
He scowled at her as he reached for the plate of bacon. He began picking multiple pieces off of the plate until Hermione slapped at his hand. "Watch the cholesterol!"  
  
Ginny choked on the tea she was sipping from her cup. Hermione was treating Ron like the three year old she was almost sure he was behaving like. She poured a tall glass of orange juice and set it in front of Ron. "No thanks," he added, "I'd like some tea."  
  
"I'm sure you would." She said as she pushed the teapot further away from his reach. "But you're having orange juice."  
  
"You're not my mum." He told her as he reached across the table.  
  
"But I am," Molly said taking the pot of tea and setting it on the island behind her, "And I don't think you should be having it either."  
  
Hermione smiled and went back to eating her food. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley chatted warmly as Ron stared longingly at the plate of sausage at the other side of the table.  
  
"You ready to go, Hermione?" Harry asked standing up from his seat.  
  
"Ready to go where?" Ron asked.  
  
Hermione ignored him and began, "Yes, as soon as I get all these dishes taken care of."  
  
"Go where?" Ron asked again.  
  
"Oh, dear! Don't be silly!" Mrs. Weasley said. "You've cooked us all this delicious breakfast, the least we could do is clean up the dishes. You two go on along."  
  
"Go where?"  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione smiled. "Can you two handle him, or do you need Harry's help?"  
  
"Go WHERE?!"  
  
"We probably could use your help, Harry," Ginny began, "I'm sure Ron has to use the loo. You can bring him in there and then after he's done bring him out onto the couch."  
  
Harry nodded as Ron asked his question again. He walked casually over to the aggitated Ron, and gripped onto him bringing him to the bathroom.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
A/N: Sorry, more later. I hope this satisfied you for a while. I'll get back to it as soon as I possibly can. I know that was a horrible place to leave off at. 


	9. Hermione, Draco, & Ron in the bathtub

Disclaimer! I do not own the characters, only the plot.  
  
Hey everyone. I've got along weekend of posting and editing to do on ff.net this weekend. Please be on the look out for new updates! Sorry for the huge wait. I promise to add some to 'Who Knew?' this weekend too!  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron sat on the couch. He had grown quite amused at Hermione's television. He'd been watching it for a most of the day, and had even refused when Ginny offered to challenge him in a game of chess.  
  
According to the clock on Hermione's television, it was nearly 6:00 when he heard the voices outside of the door. He could hear Hermione laughing about one thing or another, and a man's voice. Did Hermione have a boyfriend? Ginny had assured him that she did not.  
  
The door of the apartment opened and the voices were coming closer to the living room, where Ron lay comfortably on the couch. "Hello, Ron." Hermione said softly as she walked towards him.  
  
He nodded as he looked at Hermione's male companion. "What is he doing here?" Ron whispered to her as she bent down to feel his forehead.  
  
"Draco?" Hermione saw Ron flinch as she called him by his first name, before nodding. "Oh, he's going to take me out to dinner."  
  
Ron's eyes widened as she stood up. Hermione was going out with Malfoy? Not if he could help it. "Uh. Hermione. I'm really not feeling well at all. I feel dizzy. " He moaned and let his head wobble before it fell back and hit the arm of the sofa.  
  
"Really? Oh, no." She turned back to Malfoy, "Could we reschedule our date? I don't think Ron's well enough to stay here alone."  
  
Malfoy's eyes narrowed into slits as Hermione looked at him, and upon peering over her shoulder he could have sworn that Ron had a smug smile across his face. "Couldn't you get someone else to watch him? What about his parents? Or Potter?"  
  
"Don't be silly. Harry's probably tired; he's been under a lot of stress. And Ron's family has been non-stop help. They need a break. I think I should stay here." Ron's smile widened.  
  
"I could stay here and keep you company, if you'd like." He said wrapping his arms around her shoulders.  
  
"I really don't think that's necessary. And if I'm paying all of my attention to you, I won't really be keeping an eye Ron."  
  
"Alright. I'll see you later, Hermione, love." Draco said leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her lips. He smiled as he saw Ron's face. "Weasley." He nodded, and with a pop he was gone.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
It had been a week since Ron had woken up, and Hermione had insisted that it was best that he go home and start work as soon as the weekend was over. He had managed successfully for three days, to keep Hermione from her dates with Malfoy.  
  
First it was that he wasn't feeling well. The second night he had insisted that he needed to talk to her, and the rest of the night was spent in silence, except for her television.  
  
This night, however, Ron had stooped to an all time low. He was enjoying a nice warm bath, when he heard the voices. Hermione insisted that he keep the bathroom door open so she could hear him if he needed her for anything.  
  
He looked to the door as her head poked through. "I'm going out with Draco tonight. I'll be back in a bit." She began to walk towards the door, and Ron said the only thing that he could think of.  
  
"Wait Hermione! I need your help!'  
  
She turned around as her eyes widened. "You need help bathing?" She asked as her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink.  
  
"Uh, yes. My arm hurts every time I try to reach my back. See?" He tried touching his back and flinched as he faked the pain.  
  
She sighed and set her purse down. "Ron, tomorrow, you're leaving here. I'm not going to be around to scrub your back then." She walked to the bathroom door.  
  
"What? You're not really going to help him, are you?" Draco asked angrily, as he crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"He asked for my help. It will only take a minute, Draco." She said rolling up her sleeves.  
  
"He's been making excuses every time I've come over. Isn't it a little suspicious that he happens to be sick every time I come here?"  
  
"Don't be such a jerk. He's hurt."  
  
"Please. He's faking it. He just doesn't want to see you going out with me."  
  
"That's not true! Is it Ron?" He opened his mouth, but no words came out.  
  
"Look at that! He's obviously jealous! He doesn't want me to have his leftovers."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened as she took a step closer to him. "I am NOT Ron's leftovers." Her eyes flashed angrily as she poked him in the chest.  
  
"He obviously thinks so." He said pointing at Ron. "He seems to think he still has a chance with you. I don't know why he would want one though, not after what you did to him."  
  
She quickly reached up and slapped the side of Draco's face as she grabbed her purse and ran towards the door.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
I know this chapter is poorly written, but it's been a while and I need to get back into the writing groove. This was kind of short and straight to the point, but I'm glad I finally got something out. Please review. 


	10. Flashback

Disclaimer ~ I don't own the characters, only the plot.  
  
A/N: And now for the long awaited chapter. Well, I doubt that it's long awaited, but since ff.net is down I figured I'd give it a try!  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"Look what you did!" Ron yelled angrily as he stood up.  
  
"Cover yourself up, Weasley." Draco muttered looking in the opposite direction and throwing a towel at Ron.  
  
He grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist. "Why'd you do that?"  
  
"Do what? If I didn't know better, I'd say you were still in love with her."  
  
"Don't be stupid."  
  
"You do, don't you, Weasley? After all that she did to you? That's pathetic."  
  
"What about all of the good things she's done for me?"  
  
Malfoy chuckled. "Up until now I wasn't positive that you still loved her, or were faking those injuries for that matter. It's true though, isn't it?"  
  
"Sod off, Malfoy."  
  
Malfoy rolled his eyes before grabbing his jacket, which was draped over the back of a chair. He took one last glance at Ron before shaking his head and disapparating from Hermione's flat.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
'Ron's leftovers?' Hermione thought bitterly as she walked down the dark, bare streets outside of London. 'Is that really what everyone thinks of me?' She kicked a stone with her foot and it flew across the street as she sighed and put her hands into her pockets.  
  
She turned as she heard the footsteps coming closer to where she was standing. 'Great.' She began to walk faster and she could hear the feet behind her slapping against the ground as the person struggled to keep up with her.  
  
She felt stupid trying to run, but she did anyway, and was surprised when she could no longer hear the footsteps. Had she just imagined it all? Turning around she scanned the empty streets for some sign of where the noise was coming from.  
  
She began to turn back and continue walking, as she grabbed at the wand in her pocket. She started to sprint back in the direction of her flat. She stopped in her tracks as a short, but demanding figure stepped in front of her.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron stood in the bathroom; the towel still wrapped around his bottom. He was half way between leaving and staying to wait for Hermione. He finally decided on the latter, and drained the tub after putting hi clothes on.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione opened her eyes and looked around. After blinking a few times, she still couldn't remember where was. The room was dark, which didn't help her much either. She turned her head to the corner, where a shuffling noise was.  
  
She tried to feel around her, some way to make out where she was, but her hands were tied firmly to her back. She tugged at the ropes, which tightened around her wrists. She grunted as the ropes began to twist into her skin.  
  
"Don't bother." A hoarse voice choked out from the corner.  
  
Hermione's eyes widened at the recognition of the voice. It couldn't be. "Where am I?" She choked out.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron paced back and forth in Hermione's flat. It wasn't like Hermione to stay out this long. At least the old Hermione that he knew. But then, he never would've guessed she'd done anything that she had done.  
  
No one deserved what she did. Least of al him. He shook his head. He shouldn't pity himself. He'd done enough of that. If what Malfoy had said was true, then he should forgive her. After all that she'd done for him within the past week. He was close to death, but she took off from her important job to nurse him back to health.  
  
It wasn't true what everyone had been telling him over the past seven years. Hermione didn't hate him. She wouldn't do anything to hurt him on purpose. She cared about Ron. She cared about Harry too. After all it was Harry who brought him to Hermione wasn't it?  
  
He didn't remember coming himself. He picked his wand off the shelf in Hermione's living room and disapparated.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione kept her ears clear for the voice again. It hadn't spoken to her since she tried to loosen the ropes. She sat up and strained her ears again. The person was still there. She could hear the shallow breathing.  
  
"Hello? Please talk to me." She whispered towards the figure. "I know who you are. Just talk to me."  
  
She listened for the voice until she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Slumping her back against the wall, she let her eyes shut as she fell into a state of sleep.  
  
  
  
*~*~*Flashback*~*~*  
  
She could hear the whistling of flames in her ear as she knelt down on the ground. She pulled her wand out of her pocket and leaned down to the figure. She closed her eyes and looked away as she pressed her fingers to the body.  
  
She could feel her fingers melt against the bubbled and mutated skin of the person, but she forced her eyes back to the body. It was still alive. There was still something she could do to help. At least until someone else could.  
  
Her wand touched the throat of the figure and she began muttering spells. She wiped the sweat off of her forehead, when the breathing of the body started again. She couldn't stick around to bring him back to safety, she could only hope that he would find it himself.  
  
She hastily stood up and pushed her cloak of her shoulders. The flames were getting hotter and they began to tickle her legs. The fire was growing. With one last look at the twitching figure she closed her eyes and hoped to Merlin that he would find his way back, before running in the opposite direction.  
  
She could feel the heat against her face; she was getting closer to where the fire was coming from. A hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder. "Don't Hermione." She looked down into the pleading eyes of Neville Longbottom.  
  
"Neville. Go back."  
  
"Hermione don't go in there. Please." He grabbed at her wrist and tried pulling her back towards the opening of the Forbidden Forest. She peeled his fingers off of herself.  
  
"I can't Neville. Go back."  
  
"You can't go in there. Just turn back and leave. Come with me please." He started to back away keeping his eyes locked on Hermione's.  
  
"I told you I cant!" Hermione screamed. She could smell the fire singeing her hair. She pointed behind her. "Harry is in there. Knowing Ron, he probably is too!" She turned back and ran towards the screams. She closed her eyes as the heat slapped her hard in the cheeks.  
  
Her head smacked against a solid figure. She opened her eyes into small slits and stared up at the figure. "Miss Granger. I urge you to turn back now." Professor Snape's black eyes stared back into her own chocolate ones, as he grasped her wrists and attempted to turn her around.  
  
"No!" Hermione cried as the tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She tugged her arms out of his grasp. "My friends are in there!"  
  
"I assure you Miss Granger, that they will get out just fine. Now if you'll-"  
  
"NO! If they'll be fine, then so will I!"  
  
"I don't think you have much of a choice here Miss Granger. Now, do as-" He stopped as a blood curdling yell could be heard from just pass the grove of trees.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione screamed as she ran past the professor into the trees. She could hear him following her, urging for her to turn around now. To just leave. She didn't want to take the Neville Longbottom way out. Her friends were in there and she wasn't about to leave them.  
  
She ran into the opening and immediately felt the heat. She felt like a crayon that had been left in the sun too long, and was beginning to melt to the sidewalk. She could swear she could smell her skin burning as the light began to take over her eyes.  
  
She shook her head and tried looking around. "Hermione!" A voice squawked from her left.  
  
"Ron!" She whispered as she knelt down beside him. "Where's Voldemort?" Hermione choked his name out. Ron pointed his head to a figure standing on the opposite side of the opening.  
  
His wand was pointed towards the ground and he kept spitting spells out as a figure convulsed and cried out in pain. "Harry!" Hermione gasped. She reached forward but Ron's hand grabbed her ankle.  
  
"Go back Hermione. I'll make sure Harry gets back."  
  
She stared down angrily at Ron. "No! You're going to get yourself killed, you stupid git!"  
  
Ron smiled up at her, and she saw a large lump go down his throat as he smiled through the pain. "Stop arguing with me, love."  
  
Hermione tried to smile, as she choked back the sobs threatening to come out. "Quit trying to be a hero, Ron Weasley." She whispered as his arm weakly wrapped itself around her shoulder.  
  
"I'm not. Just go back with Professor Snape." He nodded as the Professor folded his arms across his chest behind Hermione.  
  
"No, Ron. You need my help."  
  
"No I don't." Ron whispered through gritted teeth as he pulled his arm from around Hermione's shoulder. "Please just go."  
  
Hermione nodded and stood up. "Be careful." She whispered to him as Snape took her arm and began to lead her out of the forest.  
  
She kept her head down the entire time. Her regrets started to get in the way as Professor Snape stopped outside of the forest and began chattering with Professor Dumbledore. An idea flashed through her head as she began walking back.  
  
Professor Snape was so busy he'd never realize that she'd gone back in. She nodded her head and clutched her wand in hand as she jogged back to the forest.  
  
It took her a few minutes to realize that Professor Snape was following her back. She could hear his shouts for her. For a moment she considered stopping and listening to his cries for her. But her two best friends were in there, and she wasn't about to stop and let them die just because her ex death-eater professor wanted her too.  
  
For all she knew, it could be his fault that Voldemort found his way back tonight. She shook her head as she came back to where she was with Ron only minutes earlier. This was no time to be blaming the situation on anyone.  
  
She felt her way around as the heat tried pulling her to the ground. Harry stepped out in front of her. "Hermione!" He grabbed onto her shoulders. His legs were melted to the ground and he started to slump to the ground like a pile of goo.  
  
"Harry! Where's Ron?" She turned and saw Professor Snape running towards her. Harry pointed over her shoulder to where Ron lay on the ground. "Stay here. Don't move." She whispered to him as she crawled over to Ron.  
  
She leaned down and wiped the hair off his forehead, and nudged her cheek against his. She couldn't hear his breathing. "What have I done?" She whispered to herself, as the tears started to stream down her cheeks.  
  
She took both sides of his head in her hands and leaned her face down to his. " I told you that you were going to get yourself killed. Why don't you ever listen to me?" She cried out.  
  
Professor Snape was behind her now. "Miss Granger. Come. I have Mr. Potter, let's go." Hermione nodded and grabbed her wand. "What are you doing girl? He's dead, leave him!"  
  
She dropped her wand and rounded on her heels facing the professor. "I'm not about to leave him here. He's coming with, or I'm staying here with him."  
  
"Miss Granger. We don't have time or this. The fire is growing. We have to leave now. We don't have time to drag your dead boyfriend out of here."  
  
"I'm not leaving him here to burn."  
  
"Hermione, please come." Harry pleaded with her. "I've already lost one of my best friends tonight. I'm not going to lose another." He tugged at her hand, but she stood in place.  
  
"Harry you need to get out of here. Just go. Ill be out in a few minutes. Professor bring him back."  
  
"No." Harry said. "Hermione. I can't let you stay. You'll burn to death."  
  
"No I won't. I promise you. I'll be back in a few minutes." She pleaded with Harry. He finally nodded his head and grasped onto Professor Snape's shoulder as he limped out of the forest. She looked back to Ron as soon as they were gone, letting the tears fall freely.  
  
"I hate you." She whispered as she stroked his cheek softly with her fingertips. "But I hate me even more for letting you kill yourself." She knew that if he were still alive he would be smiling at her for saying that. "I loved you, Ron. You know that don't you?" She closed her eyes and tipped her head back.  
  
"Loved?" She heard a voice whisper. She looked down at Ron. He was wearing a smile across his face.  
  
"You're alive!" She screamed.  
  
He smiled and reached his hand up to stroke her hair. " Of course. I told you I wouldn't get myself killed." She smiled as she leaned down and brushed her lips against his. His callused fingers tangled in her snarled hair, but neither cared as their lips met.  
  
His fingers kneaded the back of her head as he kissed her hungrily, as though he needed her to stay alive. At the moment he was positive that he did too. Finally, she pulled away from him and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Now, what's this I hear about you loved me? You don't love me anymore?"  
  
She smiled, "I love you."  
  
"Me too, love." He touched her cheek.  
  
"Miss Granger!" She heard Snape's voice behind her. She turned around to find that they had both become blocked from the other side of the forest.  
  
"I'm okay Professor. So is Ron!" Hermione yelled. Her voice was barely audible as the flames closed in quickly towards where she stood next to Ron.  
  
He tried to stand. "Hermione! I can't move!"  
  
"Stay put, Ron." Hermione rushed forward as she hear the cries of Professor Snape. She pulled out her wand and screamed a spell that made water shoot from the tip of her wand. The flames in front of her extinguished briefly before being swept up into bigger flames.  
  
Snape's yells became louder as he emerged to their side of the flames. "Professor!" Hermione pointed her wand at him and muttered the spell once more as the water flowed from the tip of her wand, putting out the fire on her professor's cloak.  
  
She grabbed his arms and began to drag her professor across the ground and dropped him next to Ron. She plopped down beside him and put her fingers to his neck. He was still breathing.  
  
The flames were coming closer. She had to get Ron out of there, Snape too. The fire was closing in so fast. She knew she wouldn't have enough time to get Snape back to Dumbledore and come back for Ron, and vice versa.  
  
She was faced with a decision. "Ron I can't get you both back." She didn't know what to do. She had to make up her mind quickly, before it was too late to save either of them.  
  
"Take him." Ron nodded towards Snape.  
  
She shook her head. "I can't. I want to take both of you."  
  
"You can't do that Hermione. Just take Snape." He grabbed her hand.  
  
Hermione picked up her wand and looked back and forth between the two men. Ron's eyes looked back into hers, He swallowed hard and looked away. She quickly took a glance at Snape, whose eyes were tightly shut.  
  
She knew what she had to do. She couldn't leave Ron here to watch as the fire burnt his flesh. Professor Snape was unconscious, he'd never know that the fire had killed him. He wouldn't feel it, and he wouldn't see it.  
  
She pointed her wand at Ron, "Mobilicorpus." His body lifted from the ground and she floated it away from the flames that grew closer. She turned her head once more as she looked at Snape's body on the ground. His eyes shot open and his screams were the last thing Hermione could remember hearing as she rushed to get Ron from the forest.  
  
*~*~*End Flashback*~*~*  
  
Hermione sat up in her state of sweat. She looked around the room and tilted her head to the left as a loud crack came from her neck. She was stiff, and it took her a few minutes to remember where she was.  
  
"Professor Snape?" She wondered aloud. "Are you still here?"  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Well, please review. I only have school on Monday and Tuesday this week so I should have more time to update. (Can you believe how long I've been working on this chapter?) Well, stay tuned. I'll try to pop out another chapter.  
  
Please join my R/Hrm. Group @: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RonMione/ Read, post or recommend stories for reading their. You can learn more about nc-17 chapters of this and my other HP fiction there. 


	11. Snape Discovers

Disclaimer ~ I don't own the characters, only the plot. Let's see what I can make them do in this chapter!  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron found himself in Harry's flat. He glanced down at his wristwatch. 11:00 PM. Ginny and Harry were probably getting cozy by the fire in Harry's living room. He walked towards the room he had visited so many times.  
  
Sure enough, Ginny was there lying asleep on Harry's lap while Harry himself looked into the dancing flames. Ron cringed as he looked into the red flames. He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat, causing Harry to look up at him.  
  
"Ron, does Hermione know you're here?" He sat up, gently pushing Ginny's face onto the plush rug in front of his fire.  
  
"No. I don't know where she went."  
  
"She just left you alone at home?"  
  
"It's a long story."  
  
"I have time." Harry answered, standing up and folding his arms across his chest.  
  
Ron sat in a chair next to Harry and quickly tried explaining everything that happened earlier before Hermione left.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"Professor?" Hermione tried sliding herself across the floor. Something grabbed hold of her ankle and slid her the rest of the way; tightly wrapping it's fingers around her mouth.  
  
He leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Be quiet. Don't talk. Just hold still."  
  
Hermione nodded her head and she felt Snape's fingers unwrap themselves from her mouth. There were so many questions she needed to ask him. Everyone thought he was dead, so what was he doing here?  
  
For a moment she thought that she had been imagining things. She reached her hands out and let her fingers wrap themselves in the cloth of his cloak. She pulled hard and felt the heat from his body come closer.  
  
She opened her mouth to question him, but shut it again quickly as she traced her fingers down the side of his face, stopping to feel his long, crooked nose. She removed her fingers from his face.  
  
It was Snape. What was he going to do now? Had he brought her here? Was he going to kill her for leaving him in the Forbidden Forest to burn? It would be the perfect murder though, after all, everyone thought he was dead.  
  
There were ways to protect wizards from fire, as she had learned from years ago in Professor Binn's class. All of the witch burnings from long ago never actually burned. They'd just cast a simple charm, and nothing would happen but a gentle tickle.  
  
If that was the same in Snape's case, then why had he gone into hiding? It made no sense. She soon fell asleep after she felt Snape's arms wrap around her shoulder.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ginny stirred in her sleep. Slowly, opening one eye, she listened carefully to the voices on the couch behind her. Ron was over. She had two choices; she could either pretend to be asleep, or she could risk getting kicked out of the room by Ron.  
  
She closed her eyes again and strained to listen to the voices. "Malfoy said that?" Harry questioned.  
  
"Yeah, I think he was right too. I think I do still love her." Ginny smiled. She was sure Harry was smiling too. She could almost hear him smile. "Stop smiling like that Harry." A small giggle escaped Ginny's lips.  
  
"Ginny!' Ron shot up from his chair. "How much of that did you hear?"  
  
"Enough to know exactly what you were talking about. Or should I say who?" Ginny smiled as she grabbed the table to support her while she climbed up off of the ground. Ron's face reddened. "Relax! I already knew. Angelina and I have been trying to get you to realize it for over a week now."  
  
"What should I do? She probably hates me now."  
  
"I don't think so. She wants to be forgiven as much as you want to forgive her."  
  
"I have to go talk to her." Ron said standing up.  
  
"No. Not now!" Ginny exclaimed. "Tomorrow. Give her some time to cool off." She pulled him down onto the couch.  
  
"Alright." He grabbed his wand. "I'll see you Monday, Harry." With a wave and a pop, Ron was gone.  
  
"It's about bloody time." Harry muttered.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione's eyes traced the bottom of the floor. Her eyes stopped at a crack on the floor of the wall. A small stream of light filtered in through the crack. A door. It must be morning, she thought to herself; the light wasn't there last night.  
  
She watched as the two small shadows of someone's feet blocked the light from coming into the room. Someone was out there, listening.  
  
She swallowed as quietly as possible and tried to hold her breath, which caught in her throat. She reached out her hand to make sure that Snape was still there, in safety. The door handle began to turn. "Relax, Hermione. You've been in worse situations." She calmly whispered to herself as the door opened.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron grabbed his wand and got ready to apparate to Hermione's flat. Shaking his head he put the wand back onto the stand. He couldn't just pop into her flat. He remembered how Hermione always liked her privacy.  
  
He'd have to do things the muggle way. He opened his door and began to walk.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione closed her eyes and sat up. A small green figure walked into the room holding a tray. "Here you is Miss. Mister be wanting some too?" The house elf asked pointing to where Snape lay on the floor.  
  
Hermione nudged Snape with her elbow and he slowly sat up. For the first time since Hermione arrived she had finally gotten a good look at her ex- professor's face. Half of his face was burnt, the skin was smooth to the touch, but with eyes you could see scars, and the skin had melted over his left eye leaving only a small sliver to see through.  
  
She gasped and reached out a hand to touch his face. He pushed it away, "I'm fine I assure you."  
  
"I did that to you. I'm sorry. I wanted to take you, I couldn't. I only had enough time to take one person." The house elf looked back and forth between the two, and after setting down the tray, she hurriedly scuttled out of the room.  
  
"I don't blame you, if I had a choice I would've picked love over a professor who gave you grief over everything."  
  
"Almost everyday I've had to listen to the sound of your screaming in my head. No one thought that you'd made it out alive. How did you, If you don't mind my asking?" Hermione wondered as she picked up a piece of toasted bread and took a bite.  
  
"I don't know what happened. I had no wand and the fire started to burn me. I blacked out from the pain and woke up here. How long have I been here exactly?"  
  
"Eight years." Hermione nodded. "Eight long years."  
  
"Eight years? I figured four." Snape smiled warmly. "I bet there are dozens of Weasleys running around the house. Shame I can't be at Hogwarts to torture them. I can imagine little freckled, redhead know-it-alls."  
  
Hermione smiled. "Actually Ron and I aren't together anymore. We broke up about seven years ago. Until last week, I'd never even talked to either Harry or Ron."  
  
"The Golden Trio, broke up? And what has everyone done with their lives?"  
  
"After graduating Hogwarts, Ron, Harry, and I went off to be aurors. After a year of training I did something I shouldn't have. Ron and I broke off our engagement, and I left training. Harry and Ron are aurors now.  
  
"I'm a medi-witch. People tell me I'm quite good, saved the minister's son a few months ago-"  
  
"Who is the minister?"  
  
"Mafalda Hopkirk. You know. she used to work in the Improper Use of Magic Department."  
  
"And the Malfoy's?"  
  
"Lucius died during the war. No one knows what happened to Narcissa, although everyone thinks she went into hiding after it was discovered that he was a death eater. Draco is teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"What about Longbottom?"  
  
"Neville? Hmm. I haven't heard from him in ages. Not since the night in the Forbidden Forest. Never gave it much thought. I suppose if he were dead I would've heard something about it."  
  
"Curious. How's Dumbledore?"  
  
"Oh he's great! Hasn't aged a day since I left Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall is still teaching Transfiguration. I saw her running around Hogwarts as a cat last week."  
  
"Are any of our alumni married?"  
  
Hermione smiled. "Fred and Angelina! Angelina's pregnant with twins. Hopefully not another Fred and George. And Harry and Ginny are engaged to be married."  
  
"So, how did you end up here?"  
  
"It's a long story. It started out last week in the Leaky Cauldron." After Hermione ahd explained everything that had happened in the past week, Snape listening the entire time, he finally spoke.  
  
"What do you think happened?"  
  
"I don't know. I never asked Ron what he saw. All we know is that it was really big, then really small. My guess is a polyanimagi. I have no idea if that's who took me. To be honest I have no idea what's going on."  
  
"Well, your guess is better than mine. At least you know what's going on out there." Snape nodded. "Are you going to eat that?" He asked pointing to her piece of toast. She shook her head and put it in his hand. He needed it much more than she did.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron goes to Hermione's house in the next chapter. I'm going to get to work on it right away, so it should be up today. (Three chapters in less than 24 hours? Woah) Please review. Tell me what you like/don't like. 


	12. Skoteinos Dimiourgimas

Disclaimer ~ Nope, still don't own the characters. Probably never will, either.  
  
A/N Oh, well. Would someone like to do some fan art for me? PLEASE? Also, I would just like to clarify that Snape did NOT kidnap Hermione. He is a prisoner just like her.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron hurried up the steps, and opened the door to the flat building. The warm air from the inside hit his face. He looked down at the piece of paper Ginny had given him that morning. Flat B13. Hermione's flat. He needed to talk to her and needed her to talk to him.  
  
As he pushed the button on the elevator, he hoped that Hermione still felt the same way about him as he did her.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione felt she must've been sitting in silence for hours. She looked out of the corner of her eye to Snape. His head rested against her shoulder as he snored softly.  
  
She looked back to the crack under the door, and watched as a figure paced back and forth outside of it. She wondered to herself what was going to happen next. She stole another glance at Snape, before looking to the feet that stopped in front of the door.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron knocked on the door of Hermione's flat. He listen for some sort of sound coming from inside of the room but heard nothing. He knocked again, harder this time.  
  
Hermione couldn't have still been out? Not all-night. Maybe he didn't know her as well, as he thought he did.  
  
He turned to leave as he heard a scratching noise coming from the other side of the door. She WAS home. He knocked again. "Hermione, I know you're in there." No answer came and he looked over his shoulder before pressing his ear against the door.  
  
He heard a strange sputtering noise come from inside of her flat. The scratching went from one side of the hall to the next. Within a split second he heard it scratching at the door again. Hermione must've been trying to scare him off. "If you're still mad at me, I'll talk to you later."  
  
With those final words he turned and left, his brow furrowed. Something strange was going on.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione listened carefully to the harsh voices outside of her door. She strained her ears, but no matter how much she tried she couldn't understand what they were saying.  
  
The more she listened the more she realized that it couldn't have been a human language they were speaking. It wasn't like anything she'd ever heard before. Sure, she'd heard Harry speak Parsel-tongue before, and it first frightened her.  
  
But that was nothing in comparison to the sinister language being spoken on the other side of the door. It was enough to send shivers down even the bravest Gryffindor's spine.  
  
She elbowed Snape softly in the shoulder, waking him immediately from his slumber. "Wha?"  
  
"Shhh!" She whispered harshly. Snape raised his eyebrow as Hermione brought a finger to her lips. "Listen."  
  
Hermione studied his face as he listened carefully to the conversation, and after the voices were gone and the hollow footsteps disappeared, he turned to her. The light filtering into the room from the crack under the door revealed a very pale Snape.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron sank onto the sofa at Ginny's house. "So she wasn't home?" Ginny asked setting down a cup of tea in front of her brother.  
  
Ron shook his head, "No, someone was in there."  
  
"She didn't even answer? Not even when you tried to apologize to her?"  
  
"I didn't apologize to her."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I wasn't about to apologize to her door, Gin."  
  
Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "I would have."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes, and set his cup down, "I'm going to go."  
  
"Bye Ron." Ginny waved as her brother disapparated.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione's eyes questioned Snape, as he remained silent. Finally, "What is it, Professor?" He raised his hand as he came out of his deep thoughts. She opened her mouth to speak again but his words came out before hers.  
  
"That was Kakoian." Snape whispered out.  
  
"What? I thought that was an unknown language. Nobody has ever heard it before. And isn't it.?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Granger, it is a language of dark wizards."  
  
"But it hasn't been used since the war fought between good and evil forces in Greece. That was over a thousand years ago, Professor! No one would speak it anymore."  
  
"That's where you're wrong." He answered staring blankly ahead.  
  
"What are you on about Professor?"  
  
"Obviously someone must speak it. We just heard it."  
  
"How do you know that was Kakoian? If it is an unheard language than how would you know it from any other?"  
  
"Tell me Miss Granger, of all the strange languages you've learned in our world, have you ever heard one as completely terrifying?"  
  
"Well, no but 'Magical Languages', clearly states that it is impossible for anyone to know what it sounds like. They don't even know if it ever existed, if it weren't for those runes found in Greece."  
  
"Not everything you read in a book is the truth."  
  
"A book has never proved me wrong."  
  
"Miss Granger. You have not been where I have been, or seen what I have seen. You don't know this, but I used to be a Death-Eater."  
  
"I know. Harry told me after fourth year. And I understand what you must've gone through. At the time we didn't realize that you were a loyal servant to Dumbledore. When it was released in the papers, I felt even worse about leaving you in the woods to die. All because of Voldemort."  
  
"Dumbledore gave me a second chance. I wanted to do anything I could for him. When he asked, I couldn't turn him down. Even if it meant pledging allegiance to Voldemort, and risking my life when I broke the code."  
  
Hermione nodded her head and stared into the palms of her hand. Looking up, "I still don't understand what the 'Lost Language' has to do with Voldemort, sir."  
  
"It's very simple. Voldemort was not the only dark force lurking during your time at Hogwarts. Most powerful, yes, but not the lone evil.  
  
"You see there was another group, the 'Skoteinos Dimiourgimas'. They were, of course, Grecian wizards. As you must've noticed, the voices didn't sound human."  
  
Hermione nodded, "Yes."  
  
"They were scarcely ever seen. Of course the Death Eaters would come across the group every once in a while."  
  
"How did Voldemort feel about the Skot-" Hermione stopped mid-sentence.  
  
"The Skoteinos Dimiourgimas? When he was weak, he might've been threatened. But after the tri-wizard tournament, he gained full power. He had his followers back, and there was no threat from the Skoteinos Dimiourgimas."  
  
"I see. So, you're saying that the next Dark Revolution is going to be from these- things?"  
  
"There are so few of them left. Maybe ten or twenty of them. But, years ago, they were powerful. They were described as half man half-beast."  
  
"You don't think that they were polyanimagi?"  
  
"No, they weren't pureblood wizards."  
  
"McGonagall isn't pureblood."  
  
"McGonagall is only animagi. In order to transform into more than one type of creature, you must be a pureblood witch or wizard."  
  
"I never knew."  
  
"I told you, you can't learn everything from a book."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
I'm sorry to end it there. I know. Is this getting ultra cheesy and terrible? I'm also thinking about making this story into a series. Yes/no? I think I'll start on another chapter.  
  
I don't know Greek, so forgive me if this is wrong, but I believe it's right. Skoteinos means DARK. Dimiourgimas means CREATURES (so the group is called Dark Creatures). The language Kakoian comes from the Greek word Kako which means EVIL. In case you were wondering.  
  
Anyone want to make me some fan art? I would love it to pieces! Or if you have some Ron/Hrm. pics you'll let me use, email me at jwcbp@hotmail.com, or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RonMione/ To post them. Thanks! Be on the lookout for a new chapter! Probably tomorrow (10-15-02)! I'm doing PDG on updates!  
  
You guys want some more Ron in the next chapter? 


	13. The Medallion

Disclaimer I don't own the characters only the plot.  
  
A/N: You people sure are curious. I'm sorry that I can't really answer any of your questions, but I promise that it will all be revealed by the end of the story.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Hermione felt that she must've been sitting alone in the room for hours, before Snape finally re-entered. It probably had been that long since that house-elf came and took him. She opened her mouth to ask him a question, but was quickly escorted out into the hall by the same house-elf.  
  
The halls were almost as dark as the room, and she wouldn't have been able to see, if it hadn't been for the light coming from the open door at the end of the hall. When she reached the door she was swiftly lead in, and the door shut before she had a chance to turn around.  
  
After waiting, the lights went out and the door opened. A breeze rushed by her, and she heard rustling in the corner. She listened closely as the voice began in a low, raspy voice, "Where is it?"  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
Ron quickly apparated into Harry's flat. To his surprise, Harry was standing in front of him. "Oh, Hullo, Ron. I was just coming to see you. How'd it go at Hermione's?"  
  
"I think something weird is going on, Harry."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I was standing outside of Hermione's flat, and there were strange noises coming from inside. I didn't tell Ginny, because I knew it would worry her."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"I'm positive. I think we should go over there and see what's going on."  
  
Harry nodded as he pulled out his wand. "I'll go first."  
  
Ron waited until Harry was gone, before apparating to Hermione's flat.  
  
He took a deep breath as he looked around the living room of Hermione's house. He bent down and picked up a few papers from the floor. Harry entered the room carrying more papers, pages ripped from various books. "The whole place is like this. Let's take a look around."  
  
Ron nodded and began looking over everything in the house. "You don't reckon it was a muggle robbery?" Harry called from Hermione's bedroom.  
  
"No. I don't think so." He walked down towards the end of the hall, where he'd heard the noise. He looked closely at the door and ran his fingers over the tiny scratch marks. "Hey, Harry?" Ron asked looking over his shoulder, "Come take a look at this."  
  
Harry walked behind Ron and paused looking over his shoulder. "Bloody hell. What IS that?"  
  
"Claw marks. And look." Ron pointed to a loose piece of cornice across the bottom of the wall in the hall. Harry bent down and plucked a large piece of brown and white fur from the woodwork.  
  
"An animal? An animal destroyed Hermione's flat?"  
  
"No Harry. It's the thing. He's come for her now."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"Where's what?" Hermione asked.  
  
The creature took a deep breath and tossed something at Hermione. "Where is the twin?"  
  
Hermione carefully picked up the large, heavy medallion, fingering it. It took her a moment to realize exactly what it was. "I- I don't have it."  
  
"Don't lie to me." The voice demanded, as the medallion flew from Hermione's hand, back in the direction of the voices.  
  
"I don't have it. I've never seen it before."  
  
The creature made a noise; Hermione assumed was a laugh. "I can tell when you're lying. Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to you. Yet anyway. I will get it whether you give it to me or not."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"I don't know where you're keeping it," he continued as he ignored her, "I will find it though. You can go now."  
  
Hermione hastily stood up and opened the door as she was escorted out by the small house-elf.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
After the door shut behind Hermione she began to feel around. "Professor?"  
  
"Here." He called out and she felt her way towards his voice. Finally finding him she sat down next to him. "What happened in there?"  
  
"He asked me about some medallion."  
  
"He wants to know where 'the twin' is?"  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"What did you tell him?" Snape asked.  
  
"That I didn't have it. That I'd never seen it before."  
  
"And that's true right?"  
  
"Well, not exactly."  
  
"Please tell me you don't have it."  
  
"No, but I know who does."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
I know this is a short chapter, but I have to hurry up and finish. I need to get up early, cause I have to go to the mall. I promise another chapter ASAP! 


	14. Ron & Harry's Discovery

Disclaimer I don't own the characters but I do own the plot!  
  
A/N: I'm back and I'm feeling good! It's been awhile, and Lovable843 has been patiently waiting. So here it is! It's been quite awhile. Read the last chapter. this one picks up right away from there, so read it to remember what's going on!  
  
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"Ron, honestly. Why would the thing from the Forbidden Forest come after Hermione?" Harry asked raising his eyebrow.  
  
"It has something to do with me." Ron sighed as he slumped down against the wall in Hermione's hallway.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. Some animal probably got into her flat."  
  
"In the middle of London?" Ron asked, looking quizzically at Harry.  
  
He shrugged, "You never know. We are wizards after all."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Come on now, Ron. Maybe Hermione has a cat or something."  
  
"A cat? No. I stayed here for almost two weeks. I think I would've noticed a cat by now."  
  
"Maybe she's watching it for a neighbor. Let's just look around for a food dish or a saucer of milk or something."  
  
"Harry, the claw marks are all the way up the wall. Cats can't climb walls."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"You know who has the medallion?" Snape asked quickly.  
  
Hermione looked him over carefully, nodding slowly; "I saw it around Ron's neck the day Harry brought him to my flat. I was changing his clothes when I noticed it."  
  
"You have to tell them!"  
  
Hermione's expression changed almost immediately. "Are you crazy? And have them go after Ron?"  
  
"They just want the necklace!"  
  
"Yes, and they're willing to hurt people to get it."  
  
"It doesn't matter! If one of the many Weasleys has to die for me to get out of here, then so be it." Snape whispered harshly in her direction.  
  
Hermione took a sharp breath and reached her hand out. She slapped Snape hard across the face. "How dare you? You should've died in the forest that night."  
  
She turned away from him as her shoulders began to shake along with her hushed sobs. Snape slowly brought his hand to his cheek. It burned, and he could feel the heat from it radiating off of his fingers.  
  
On his knees, he pushed himself in her direction and rested his hand on one of her shoulders. "I'm sorry." He whispered quietly. He heard Hermione stifle her cries and she sniffed.  
  
"I should apologize too. I shouldn't have said that. I'm glad you didn't die that night. I truly am. And I see where you're coming from. I would have drove myself crazy if I were in here as long as you too."  
  
Snape smiled fondly at Hermione and wrapped his arms around her. Her movements mimicked his and for the first time in probably his whole life, Snape felt happy.  
  
"You know," he said looking down at the sleepy brunette, "We're really going to have to work together to come up with a plan to get out of here."  
  
"I know," Hermione said through a yawn. "First thing tomorrow."  
  
"Right." He leaned back against the wall and shut his eyes.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"See, no cat. Do you believe me now?" Ron asked stepping around Hermione's pushed over coffee table. Harry's head popped up from behind the counter.  
  
"There has to be a reasonable explanation for this."  
  
"Harry," Ron said crossing the room, and laying a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You know as well as I do, that whatever attacked me in the forest came here to attack Hermione."  
  
"But why?"  
  
"It must have thought that I was still here." Ron shrugged. "They came here for me but found nothing."  
  
"Maybe they did find something," Harry said as he stared blankly at the counter.  
  
"Huh?" Ron looked to the counter, but didn't see what Harry was seeing.  
  
"There. Hermione's cloak, and her purse." Harry watched as Ron nodded. "Have we ever known Hermione to leave somewhere without her coat and a little money in her pocket?"  
  
"No." Ron shook his head confused.  
  
"Either she left in a rush, or . . . "  
  
"Someone took her."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
A/N: Short. yes I know. I wanted to end it there, though. The next chapter is being worked on right now. No worries, it will be up a.s.a.p. Too!  
  
Also. Snape and Hermione are not getting cuddly. Eww, no! He provides the wise fatherly figure in this story. Snape's not bad deep down! 


	15. Ron Takes a Stand, Harry Shakes His Head

Disclaimer ~ I don't own them. I just write about them.  
  
A/N: Yes, Hermione did get kidnapped the night she left her flat when Ron and Draco were fighting over her . . . but Harry and Ron don't know that . . . Don't worry, it'll all piece together soon enough! Good observation to an anonymous reviewer! I know it's been a really long time. but my computer got busted. I just got it working again today, so you should all be very pleased to know that this is the first thing that I'm working on.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
"We need a plan, we have to find Hermione." Ron said pacing back and forth in the small office.  
  
Harry seated himself in a chair behind a small desk. "Calm down, Ron."  
  
"I can't calm down!" Ron said, exasperated. The door behind Ron opened, and Ginny walked into the room. She took her wand out of the pocket of her light green robes, and conjured up two cups of tea.  
  
"Here you go, Mr. Potter." She said with a smile. Ron watched as Harry winked at her and he rolled his eyes. Ginny giggled as she sat comfortably on the corner of Harry's desk.  
  
Ron cleared his throat from across the room, "I'm sorry to interrupt," He began sarcastically, "But I think there are more important things that we need to be doing."  
  
Ginny blushed and uncrossed her legs, pushing herself off of Harry's desk. "Sorry."  
  
Ron nodded, "Now . . . Our plan. I think that . . . "  
  
Harry stopped Ron mid-sentence, "Ron. I think it would be best if you sat this out. Maybe I could get some help from McAllister . . . "  
  
"McAllister? No! Harry, I'm the man for the job. Who knows Hermione better than me?"  
  
Harry sighed. "No one. But that's exactly why I don't think it's a good idea."  
  
Ginny spoke up, "Maybe Harry's right, Ron."  
  
"What's wrong with you lot?"  
  
"I just think it would be best if you took a vacation. Go somewhere nice and relax." Ginny suggested.  
  
"Go somewhere nice? The thing that almost hexed me to death has Hermione, and you want me to go somewhere nice ?"  
  
"Everyone thinks it's a fine idea, Ron. Even Percy said . . . "  
  
"Percy can sod off!" Ron shouted.  
  
"Ron!" Ginny stalked over to wear Ron stood with his fists clenched tightly at his side. "This is exactly why everyone thinks that you shouldn't go. You're stressing yourself out about this. You're still recovering from what happened. You just need to sit this one out."  
  
"This is the most important case of my life, and you just want me to sit back and wait."  
  
"McAllister is a fine man for the job. And I'll be there with him. We'll find her Ron." Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder in attempt to comfort him.  
  
"Either you let me on the case, or I'll go and find her myself."  
  
Harry sighed again, "Please stop being so stubborn, Ron."  
  
"I gave you a choice. Let me know when you've made a decision." Ron stood up from the chair and walked out of the room.  
  
"Maybe, I should let him come along. You know, just give him a few small jobs. We'll stick him with the filing and such." Harry suggested after Ron had left the building.  
  
"Harry, I don't think that's a good idea at all. He needs to take it easy."  
  
"That's why we give him all the little jobs."  
  
"Harry, my brother is many things, but stupid is not one of them. He's not going to stand for you giving him all those filing jobs."  
  
"I know," Harry said as he put his hand on Ginny's shoulder, "but, at least he won't be going off on his own."  
  
"He's going to insist on going. We both know it. I'll just have to make sure either my mum or myself is watching him at all times." Ginny seemed confident as she picked up her wand and walk out of the room.  
  
Harry sighed and sat down in his chair. He cupped his forehead in his chin. "I hope she honestly doesn't think that's going to work." Harry said.  
  
~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~  
  
A/N: I know that this is really short. I really enjoy writing the scenes with Harry and Ron. I'll try to get a Hermione and Snape next time. And hopefully a flashback! Please review! 


	16. Ron Sneaky Style

Disclaimer ~ I don't own these people. I just control them.  
  
A/N: Thanks to all of those who reviewed my last chapter. Well, on with the reading. This is for ChoChanger and hermione; who were both kind enough to review. Enjoy.  
  
****  
  
"Ahem." Molly Weasley cleared her throat as she continued to knit. Ron gave her an agitated look. "Now, Ron, you're face is going to freeze like that."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. How many times had he heard that one growing up? Too many to still believe it, that was for sure. He looked back down on the floor.  
  
"How about I go and get you some soup?" She looked hopefully at Ron, whose face stayed the same. "Okay, then." Molly stood up from her chair and brushed her lap off. "Ginny! Ginny, come and watch your brother. I have to run to Diagon Alley and pick a few things up."  
  
"Okay mum!" Ginny came in from the kitchen area holding a chess board against her chest. "Ron, how about a game?"  
  
Ron huffed as Ginny put the board in front of him and started to set up the little chess pieces. There was a loud knock on the door and Ginny groaned as she pulled herself off of the floor. "Stay here. I'll be right back." As she was leaving the room, she took one final glance over her shoulder.  
  
Ron pulled the covers off of his lap. He needed his wand. Knowing his mother, she had probably locked it in the small hall closet. He tiptoed over the closet and twisted the doorknob. Locked. Ron cursed. Slowly, a smile crept upon his face as he moved back to the living room davenport side-table. He opened the drawer slowly, listening to the conversation Ginny was having with the person at the door. "No, that's quite alright." He heard her say to the person at the door.  
  
He reached into the drawer and pulled out a small round piece of candy. He rubbed it between his hands and felt the warmth from the candy radiating into his palms. He smiled wickedly as he rolled the small ball under the closet door.  
  
He counted off a few seconds and heard a pop. The door clicked open and a small cloud of smoke erupted from the depths of the closet. He smiled. Closet Bombs. Not one of Fred and George's best inventions but had come in quite handy as a child.  
  
He climbed into the closet and reached up onto the top shelf. Just as he had thought. His mother always put things that she had taken away from him on the top shelf. Unfortunately for Molly, Ron wasn't so little anymore, and his 6- foot-2 frame could easily reach the top shelf.  
  
He grabbed the wand and apparated as soon as he saw Ginny come back into the room. He laughed at the look on his sister's face as he apparated to the Forbidden Forest. He still chuckled to himself. He began to walk, looking around for evidence. 'Any kind of evidence would do,' he thought as he looked around.  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks as he felt an all too familiar foreboding. Then he heard it. The same rustling noise he had heard before he was attacked. He stopped dead in his tracks and the noise stopped. 'Your mind is just playing games with you, Ron.' He nodded and started to walk again.  
  
A hand grasped tightly on his shoulder. He winced, "Ow, what the-" he started as he was spun around.  
  
****  
  
Hermione opened her eyes. She could hardly ever remember being as tired as she was right then. She could hear voices, but her brain kept telling her to shut her eyes. They began to sink shut again, until she heard a shout, "Obliviate!" A thud was the last thing she heard before the light filtering in through the door disappeared. She closed her eyes with a sigh and fell back to sleep.  
  
****  
  
"Harry!" Ron screeched. "You scared the wits out of me."  
  
"Good, you bloody deserve it."  
  
"Oh, come on mate, you knew I would come." Ron said wrapping his arm around Harry's shoulder.  
  
"I love your sister, and your mum, but I knew there was no way they were going to be able to watch you. That's why I didn't bring McAllister with me." Harry laughed.  
  
****  
  
Hermione opened her eyes and stretched out. She searched around her, but couldn't find Snape. "Professor?"  
  
After minutes of silence no one answered. Was she alone now?  
  
**** 


End file.
